Symptoms & diagnosis
Can my tooth be saved? Assessment before extraction in Nuneaton
"It will have to come out" is a sentence worth questioning. Many teeth written off because of a large infection, a failed root filling or a canal that proved difficult for someone else can be kept — and some genuinely cannot. This assessment tells you which, with the reasoning and the odds written down.
Why keeping your own tooth matters
A natural tooth is held in the jaw by a ligament that senses pressure, protects you from biting too hard and keeps the surrounding bone healthy. Nothing manufactured does that. A well-made implant or bridge is an excellent replacement when it is needed, but it involves surgery or the preparation of neighbouring teeth, it costs more over a lifetime, and once the natural tooth is gone the choice is gone with it. Root canal treatment, done properly and followed by a good restoration, keeps teeth in function for decades.
What the assessment examines
- The structure that remains. How much sound tooth is left above the gum, and whether it can hold a crown predictably. A tooth broken down to the gum line may need a small gum procedure to make it restorable, or may be beyond saving.
- Cracks. Examination under the microscope, with dye and light, looks for cracks — a split root is the one finding that rules out treatment.
- Bone support. X-rays show how much bone holds the root and whether gum disease has loosened it.
- The canal system and any previous work. The anatomy, the quality of an existing root filling, posts, blockages and the size of any infection are all weighed up.
- The rest of your mouth. A tooth is saved to be used, so its role in your bite and your wider dental plans are part of the decision.
What the options look like
Depending on the findings, the tooth may be suitable for root canal treatment, for retreatment of a failed root filling, or for an apicectomy where the canal cannot be reached from above. Each comes with a realistic estimate of success for your tooth, not a general statistic. Where extraction is the better choice — because the root is cracked, the bone support is gone or too little tooth remains — you will be told so plainly, and the report to your dentist will help them plan the replacement.
How the advice is given
In writing, after the consultation, with the diagnosis, the options, the likely success of each and the fees. No pressure, no decision on the day unless you want to make one, and no attempt to treat a tooth with a poor outlook simply because treatment is possible.
Second opinions
You are welcome to come for an opinion before accepting an extraction or an implant plan, with or without a referral. Bring any recent X-rays or ask your dentist to send them. If the original advice was right, you will hear that too.