a single implant with 2 teeth being shown around it

When to Save a Tooth and When to Get an Implant?

In an ideal world, dentists in Ajax could save every badly infected and damaged tooth they treat. However, it is often possible to save severely compromised teeth using sophisticated dental treatments.

 

When Can a Tooth Be Saved?

Usually, people visit a dentist in Whitby when they have a severe tooth infection and when it is excruciating. Your dentist can check the condition of the tooth and will take dental X-rays to see the extent of the disease. If possible, they will suggest root canal therapy to remove the infected nerves in the tooth so it can be restored. However, the remaining portion of the tooth must be in good enough condition to survive. It may need to be extracted if it is too severely cracked or damaged. Also, your dentist will need to assess the likely success of root canal therapy compared with alternative treatments, such as removing the tooth and replacing it with a dental implant.

Although teeth that have received root canal therapy can last for years, not all will last forever. Retaining the tooth may be necessary, and treatment becomes trickier at this stage, so it may be required to consider other options. When the success of root canal treatment is uncertain, it could be preferable to spend the money on a dental implant in Clarington instead.

While tooth decay and subsequent tooth infections are bad enough, they are not adults’ leading cause of tooth loss. Instead, this honor goes to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is better known as gum disease and affects approximately half of all people over age 30 to some degree or other. It’s a disease usually caused by poor oral hygiene, which allows plaque bacteria to build up over the gums, creating inflammation and infection and damaging the gums and other tissues supporting your teeth. Eventually, periodontal disease can destroy the bone around teeth, ultimately causing tooth loss. When teeth are lost to periodontal disease, restoring them with dental implants in Pickering can be an excellent solution.

 

When to Choose a Dental Implant

You can rest assured that your dentist in Oshawa will try their hardest to save damaged teeth, but sometimes removing the tooth is the best course of action and prevents further infection and pain. They may discuss dental implants with you if keeping the tooth isn’t viable. Dental implants are the most sophisticated and long-lasting solution for tooth loss and are closest to restoring your natural teeth.

At Durham Dental Solutions, our highly experienced implant dentists can provide the latest dental implants using the most up-to-date techniques. Also, suppose the bone has been destroyed because of periodontal disease or trauma. In that case, the infection and damage can be treated, and the bone can be artificially replaced with a bone graft. Dental implants are very stable and robust, but they must be situated in good quality bone, which will eventually fuse to the bone so they cannot move.

 

What to Expect If You Need a Dental Implant

If you have a tooth that is beyond saving and must be extracted, our dentist in Newcastle may perform socket preservation bone grafting during this treatment. As the tooth is removed, the empty socket is filled with bone grafting material that restores the proper contours and volume. Quite frequently, it’s possible to place the new dental implant on the same day as your tooth is extracted so your smile is restored as quickly as possible. Once your dental implant is fully restored with your new tooth, it should look natural and painfree. With proper dental care, it could last for years or a lifetime.

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