One of the most common questions patients ask Dr. Cherry is whether it’s worth investing in periodontal treatment to save a tooth — or if it would be more cost-effective to extract it and get an implant. The answer, in most cases, strongly favors saving your natural teeth.
The True Cost of Extraction and Replacement
When you extract a tooth, the costs don’t stop at the extraction itself. Here’s what a full replacement pathway typically looks like:
- Extraction: $150–$650 per tooth (more for surgical extractions)
- Bone grafting (often needed after extraction to preserve the socket): $300–$800
- Dental implant placement: $1,500–$3,000
- Abutment and crown: $1,500–$3,000
- Total per tooth: $3,500–$7,500+
And implants, while excellent, aren’t maintenance-free. They require ongoing professional monitoring and can develop peri-implantitis — essentially gum disease around the implant — which requires additional treatment.
The Cost of Periodontal Treatment to Save a Tooth
Compare that to the cost of treating periodontal disease to preserve your natural tooth:
- Scaling and root planing (deep cleaning): $200–$400 per quadrant
- Osseous surgery (if needed for moderate-advanced disease): $500–$2,000 per quadrant
- Periodontal maintenance (ongoing, 3-4 times per year): $150–$300 per visit
Even with ongoing maintenance over 10-20 years, the total cost of preserving a natural tooth through periodontal treatment is typically significantly less than extracting and replacing it with an implant.
Beyond the Dollar Amount
Cost is only one part of the equation. Natural teeth offer advantages that no replacement can fully replicate:
- Proprioception: Natural teeth have a periodontal ligament that gives your brain feedback about bite force and food texture. Implants connect directly to bone and lack this sensory input.
- Bone preservation: A healthy natural tooth stimulates and maintains the surrounding bone better than any prosthetic.
- No surgical risk: Keeping your tooth means avoiding surgery, healing time, and the small but real risk of implant complications.
- Time: Periodontal treatment typically requires less time than the implant process, which can take 6-12 months from extraction to final crown.
When Extraction Is the Right Choice
There are cases where a tooth genuinely cannot be saved — severe bone loss, a vertical root fracture, or a tooth that has become a source of recurring infection despite treatment. In these situations, Dr. Cherry will recommend extraction and discuss the best replacement options, including dental implants.
The key is getting an honest, thorough evaluation from a specialist. As a periodontist, Dr. Cherry’s training is specifically in saving teeth — and he’ll give you a straightforward recommendation about whether your tooth can realistically be preserved. Schedule a consultation to discuss your options.
