A Review of Factors Influencing Treatment Planning Decisions of Single-tooth Implants versus Preserving Natural Teeth with Nonsurgical Endodontic Therapy

The perceived prognosis of endodontic treatment and implant therapy among dental practitioners

“…The decision must be based on patient preferences, cost-benefit ratio, quality of the bone, esthetics, prosthetic restorability, systemic factors and the potential for adverse effects. 46 Along with these factors the strategic value of the tooth within the dentition and the extent of previous restorations should also be taken into account. 13 The condition of the adjacent teeth and the entire dentition must be taken into consideration in treatment planning.…”

An Important Dilemma in Treatment Planning: Implant or Endodontic Therapy?

“…Therefore, these procedures may compromise an implant site and precipitate the need for additional bone grafting when an implant is needed (Greenstein et al, 2008). Although there are differences in studies, a recent review of the literature concluded that endodontic treatment is the best option in many cases; however, dental implants provide a good alternative in certain cases in which the prognosis of maintaining the tooth is questionable or poor (Iqbal & Kim, 2008).…”

“…Many patients fear both the endodontic therapy and even the mere thought of any surgery because of the peri-or post-treatment pain. However, it should be considered that the pain experienced after endodontic treatment and implant surgery fell within the guidelines for adequate control of peri-operative pain (Iqbal & Kim, 2008). Other factors that should be considered include the dental history, the cultural implications of the tooth loss, and the quality of life that such treatment would produce (Bader, 2001(Bader, , 2002Tang & Naylor, 2005;Torabinejad & Goodacre, 2006;White et al, 2006;Cohn, 2005;Christensen, 2006).…”

“…If a clinician believes that he/she is unable to save a tooth, tooth extraction and future prosthetic replacement will most likely be recommended (Avila et al, 2009). Although it is recognized that clinicians vary in their experience, skills, and interests, these factors should not dictate the treatment plan because other members of the dental team are available to provide specialized care on a referral basis (Iqbal & Kim, 2008).…”

“…It must be realized that not only is the choice of the treatment controversial, but also the criteria for defining a tooth as "compromised" are controversial and subject to differences in interpretation. To discuss treatment of compromised teeth, a compromised tooth must be clearly defined and differentiated from a tooth with "end-stage" failure (Iqbal & Kim, 2008). An "end-stage" tooth is defined by Iqbal & Kim (2008) as a tooth with a pathologic state or structural deficiency that cannot be successfully repaired with reconstructive therapies, including root canal treatment and retreatment, and that continues to exhibit progressive pathologic changes and clinical www.intechopen.com dysfunction.…”