Teeth have pretty tough lives as they live in an environment where the temperature is continually fluctuating, and they are surrounded by several hundred species of bacteria. If that isn’t bad enough, they frequently are exposed to acid, often multiple times each day, and to top it all they must routinely face forces of up to 150 pounds per square inch. Then, we expect our teeth to go on working for us our entire lives. It is hardly any wonder that they sometimes fail, even given good dental care.
Just a decade or two ago, we wouldn’t have been surprised if our teeth had given up the fight for life well before we did, leaving us facing options like removable partial or full dentures. However, nowadays, although we are living longer, we expect our teeth to do the same. It is something that has presented a challenge to the dental industry.
Unfortunately, teeth can be lost or their structure severely compromised by tooth decay and to trauma caused by injury or advanced periodontal (gum) disease.
Now, when a tooth is considered hopeless or is missing entirely, one of the most advanced treatment options is to replace it with a dental implant. This method of tooth loss has a success rate of 95%, while some more experienced and highly trained implant dentists can boast even higher percentages.
Yet, what should you do if the fate of a natural tooth isn’t so clear cut and there is just a chance it could be saved? While dental implants are fantastic, can they truly replace a natural tooth? If there is a chance a natural tooth can be salvaged, which type of treatment will it need? It all depends on the kind of damage to a tooth.
When a Tooth Is Infected
A tooth can become infected if the tough outer shell, called enamel is damaged, letting in disease-causing bacteria. Usually, when this happens, it results in a cavity in a tooth, and the tooth must be promptly filled by a dentist. Without a filling, the bacteria will eventually get right into the center of the tooth.
When these bacteria reach the central area of the tooth, called the pulp, they can infect the nerves and blood vessels in the pulp, usually causing severe toothache. In this case, root canal therapy might be able to save the tooth and is frequently the first treatment of choice.
Often, root canal therapy is highly successful in treating severe tooth infection. The therapy removes the diseased and infected tissue in the dental pulp and in the tissues extending into the root canals in the tooth root. Afterward, the tooth is disinfected and is permanently filled and restored, usually with a full dental crown that covers the tooth entirely, protecting and preserving the remaining tooth structure.
However, root canal therapy is not always successful in the longer term, and a root treated tooth can potentially become re-infected. When this happens, it might be possible to re-treat the tooth, but treatment is not always appropriate, and it tends to be much more complicated and expensive.
Periodontal Disease
A tooth that has been damaged by periodontal disease (gum disease) might not be salvageable. This is because advanced periodontal disease destroys the tissues around teeth so that eventually they become loose in the jawbone. When this occurs, there might be no other choice but to remove the tooth, or it could be saved with extensive periodontal therapy.
Another possible injury to a tooth can happen if it fractures vertically along the tooth root, perhaps because of extreme pressure caused by tooth clenching or grinding. A tooth that is fractured vertically also cannot be saved.
Deciding When to Have a Dental Implant
Given that root canal therapy can fail, when do you choose to give up o a tooth and replace it with a more permanent dental implant? Often, this is a decision your dentist can assist you with. They might suggest an implant when a root-treated tooth is re-infected, or if a tooth initially has a severe infection and root canal therapy is less sure to save it.
Although you could probably still go ahead and try to keep the tooth, you could end up spending a considerable sum of money for a procedure that has a high chance of failing further down the line. It could be more pertinent to save the money and to spend it on a dental implant.
Why a Dental Implant?
Dental implants are the most advanced way to replace missing teeth and are used to restore just a single tooth or multiple teeth. Because they artificially replace the entire tooth root, dental implants are the closest solution to having your natural tooth back once again.
To have a dental implant, your dentist will surgically implant a small titanium post on your jawbone. The procedure to do this doesn’t take very long, and most people are pleasantly surprised at the very low level of discomfort afterward. Once in the jawbone, a process called osseointegration occurs, and new bone cells grow on and around the post so that several months later the post becomes firmly bonded in the bone.
When the process is complete, the result is an extremely strong implant post so you can bite and chew with the same force as you would with your natural teeth. The implant post can be restored with a single crown, or if you have multiple implants, they can hold a bridge of teeth, even restoring an entire arch. Another solution is to use implants to hold a denture firmly in place. There are lots of different solutions and treatments available, and dental implants are very versatile.
Dental implants have been widely used for several decades now, and treatment is reliable and long-lasting. With proper care, your dental implants could even last for life. Given this high level of reliability is it even worth trying to save an infected tooth in the first place?
The answer to this is almost certainly yes because even though dental implants are a fantastic solution, nothing is quite as good as your own teeth. This is why any dentist will try their best to save your natural teeth and removing them is always the very last resort. At least if the worst does happen, you know you can almost certainly opt for dental implants.
Deciding whether to preserve a natural tooth or opt for a dental implant is a significant choice—one that should balance longevity, oral health, comfort, and your overall well-being. In many cases, saving a tooth can be beneficial, but if preservation compromises your future dental health or functionality, an implant may offer a more stable and lasting solution.
At LuxDen Dental Center, we make it our mission to walk you through every option—informing you clearly about the pros, cons, and what to expect—so you can choose confidently what’s best for your smile, mouth, and budget.
Call LuxDen Dental Center today at (718) 717‑8866 to schedule your consultation. Let our experienced team help guide your decision with compassion and clarity, ensuring a healthy, functional, and beautiful smile for years to come.
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