It can be hard to let go of anything that has been a major part of your life for most of your life. This is true of teeth. It can even be hard to let go of failing, even when removing them would make way for the top option for replacing missing or failing teeth: dental implants. But while tooth extraction is commonly necessary in order to get dental implants, there are many cases in which the remaining natural teeth don’t have to be pulled. Find out what factors into the determination of whether you’ll need to have your remaining teeth pulled in order to get dental implants.

Why They May Have to Be Pulled

While they may not look that bad, teeth that are failing tend to do much more physical harm to the rest of your mouth than harm to your confidence – especially if you’ll be replacing the failing teeth.

Teeth that are failing are those that have been ravaged by gum disease or tooth decay. These teeth may be loose or shifted due to being ravaged by gum disease or tooth decay.

Reasons to Keep Them

Your dentist won’t recommend pulling teeth that are healthy and planted firmly in the jawbones. To ensure that a tooth is healthy and can still last you for many years to come, the dentist will examine your mouth and take scans to get the full picture of the tooth or teeth’s health.

Here are some elements of a tooth worth keeping:

• Healthy pulp, with no decay in the center of the tooth
• Healthy tooth roots
• Strong bone underneath

Ways to Keep Them, While Still Getting Implants

You don’t have to choose between one or the other. You can get dental implants to replace missing or failing teeth, while keeping healthy natural teeth in the mix.

Your dentist could use one or a combination of the following to place new teeth around the existing ones:

• Partial dentures
• Dental bridges
• Single crown dental implants

More on Dental Implants in Oak Brook, IL

Find out more about tooth extractions and dental implants in Oak Brook, IL and the surrounding areas. Schedule an appointment today to learn much more about your treatment options and alternatives.