I’ve been to two different dentists and both of them want to pull my tooth. I have a front tooth that had been chipped. I’d repaired it with dental bonding. Then, I had a fall and it broke almost in half. The dentists want to pull it and give me a partial denture. I am only in my 30s and do NOT want removable teeth. Do I not have a way to save this tooth? Money is not an issue.
Olivia
Dear Olivia,
Different dentists vary in their commitment to saving teeth. Some are lazy. Some are unskilled. Some don’t like taking risks. That being said, in many cases, where I hear that two dentists have said the tooth needs to be extracted I think the tooth cannot be saved. HOWEVER, that is not what I am thinking in your case.
First, you said that money was not a problem for you, so they shouldn’t be concerned that you cannot afford the solution. Second, the only thing both dentists recommended to you as a replacement was a removable partial denture. That is a low-class way of replacing a tooth and is designed for people who either are not a candidate for a better option or cannot afford anything else.
Why did neither of them recommend a dental implant to replace your tooth? That is by far the best tooth replacement option. It sounds to me that you’ve encountered two dentists with low skill (or motivation) levels. Don’t try to push either of them to save the tooth because they will not do a good job.
I want you to look for a dentist who has invested in a significant amount of post-doctoral training and offers things like dental implants, so you can know that they are active in improving their skills. Some dentists even give free second opinions.
When you go, do not tell them what the other dentists suggested. Just show him or her your tooth and ask their recommendations.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.