2018 Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 280-288
Determining whether to extract teeth has been a problem in dental therapy to date. Many patients do not visit a dental office to have their teeth extracted in the first place, but to resolve toothache or swelling, or to recover masticatory function. The accumulated know-how and mid- to long-term successful prognosis of implant therapy have spurred indications for dental implant. Moreover, as techniques and mid- to long-term successful prognosis of treatment have improved, periodontology has met patients' expectations and raised their hope for retaining their own teeth. Those two outcomes have made it much harder to determine whether to extract teeth. We must perform appropriate implant therapy for the indicated tooth-extracted site while trying to retain the natural teeth as long as possible. Determining whether to extract a tooth that is suffering progressive periodontal disease requires a comprehensive evaluation of periodontal parameters, prosthetic design and the patient's psychology.