"Just Take It Out, Doc" - Better Yet, Not So Fast!

Yes, some teeth cannot be saved, no matter what heroic measures are taken to try and save them.

Other teeth can be saved, but the patient wants them removed because of the immediate tooth pain, or perceived financial pain to save them. In the long run, pulling a tooth that can be fixed is a mistake. Period.

Here are some of the things that can happen when one or more teeth are pulled:

• Adjacent teeth or opposing teeth (the ones the extracted tooth once chewed with) will shift;
• The bone that once supported the tooth's root will resorb (melt away) reducing the strength of your jaw;
• As teeth shift, the remaining teeth will meet at odd angles, increasing the wear to those teeth, and increasing the risk of fracture;
• Also, as teeth shift, gaps may appear in areas where the teeth once touched. This allows for more food to be caught between the teeth, and causes the gums be become irritated and inflamed;
• If many teeth are lost, and consequently much jaw bone is lost, there is a potential increase of jaw fractures;
• If not many teeth remain, the stability and retention of removable dentures decrease;
• As teeth are lost, and if they are not replaced, diet and nutrition suffer, as the diet becomes one of soft foods; and
• The way your face looks will change - sagging of the skin, skin folds around the mouth and wrinkles increase.

Lost teeth can be replaced with many different restorative options. A patient can have a flipper, a Maryland bridge, a traditional bridge, an implant or a denture depending on the number of teeth that are missing, the overall dental and medical health of the patient, the time available for treatment, and the cost of the treatment.