Dr. Katie To explains how periodontal surgery can save teeth dentists recommend extracting. Periodontists can clean areas hygienists can't reach, regenerate lost bone, and help the mouth heal itself. She's seen severely damaged teeth stay functional for years after surgery.
Your dentist told you the tooth has to go, but did anyone tell you a periodontist might be able to save it? Periodontal surgery to save teeth exists specifically for cases that look hopeless from the outside. A periodontist can go in, clean what no hygienist can reach, regenerate lost bone, and give that tooth a real fighting chance before extraction is even considered. I have had patients come to me with X-rays that looked like the end of the road. Bone gone, tissue destroyed, the whole picture. And after surgery, after giving the body the conditions it needed to heal, that tooth is still in their mouth years later. The mouth has an extraordinary ability to recover when you remove the infection and give it support. Before you say yes to an extraction, Ask for a referral to a periodontist. One consultation could be the difference between losing that tooth and keeping it for the rest of your life.
