Hi ellem,

You mentioned that you did alot of research to find this dentist. Did you research her credentials and reputation only OR did you research dental implants also?

I'm in the dental field 30+ years and feel compelled to share a few things with you based on what you have written here. I know you want to believe in this dentist and she may be a great periodontist! So my intention is not to discredit her in any way .... it's to help you become better informed.

The success of a dental implant depends on several things. Such as the patients overall health/medications; their oral health and oral hygiene; eating habits; lifestyle smoking/drinking alcohol; size/shape/thickness of the jawbone; and the health of the jawbone that the implant is going into.

With that said, it is not ideal to place an implant in the bone where there is an irritant such as a broken root tip. Root tips are a foreign body that often become infected. If that were to happen, then the implant would be compromised. At the same time, it is imperative that should the root break, it is removed properly to avoid traumatizing the nerve.

It is imperative that the surgical site for the placement of the implant be free of any possible irritants and be kept sterile during the entire procedure. A slight contamination can compromise the integration of the dental implant.

I am mentioning this to you because rather than her dismissing or making light of this issue about the root tip breaking off, perhaps she should have informed you of the possible consequences.

My dental experience is saying..... she is not confident in removing this tooth because of the curved root. In case you are not aware, generally, periodontists do few extractions and hesitate with extracting teeth that are likely to pose a problem. However, all too often the dentist knows if she were to have this tooth removed by an oral surgeon, then she would most likely lose out on placing the implant to that oral surgeon if it were to be an immediate placement.

Have you gotten other opinions from other dentists about the removal of this tooth? Is it possible to get a second opinion say from an oral surgeon?

To answer your question about post operative issues after extraction and implant placement....... I have had teeth extracted but have never had an implant. I have assisted on many of these procedures and can say that it is important to follow the post operative instructions to the T that are given by the dentist. Following them will diminish the pain and speed the healing. Being well prepared with a soft, healthy diet beforehand will also help. Keep yourself hydrated with water.... no soda or sugary foods as these slow down the healing process.

I hope not to alarm you........ this is a difficult decision to make and it can be scary. I'm just here to offer you my opinion based on my professional experience.

Perhaps you could have a phone consult with her about how often she extracts teeth with curved root tips and let her know you are concerned?

Bryanna