Strategic considerations in treatment planning: deciding when to treat, extract, or replace a questionable tooth

Prosthodontists face the difficult task of judging the influence and significance of multiple risk factors of periodontal, endodontic, or prosthetic origin that can affect the prognosis of an abutment tooth. The purpose of this review is to summarize the critical factors involved in deciding whether a questionable tooth should be treated and maintained, or extracted and possibly replaced by dental implants. A MEDLINE (PubMed) search of the English, peer-reviewed literature published from 1966 to August 2009 was conducted using different keyword combinations including treatment planning, in addition to decision making, periodontics, endodontics, dental implants, or prosthodontics. Further, bibliographies of all relevant papers and previous review articles were hand searched. Tooth maintenance and the acceptance of risks are suitable when: the tooth is not extensively diseased; the tooth has a high strategic value, particularly in patients with implant contraindications; the tooth is located in an intact arch; and the preservation of gingival structures is paramount. When complete-mouth restorations are planned, the strategic use of dental implants and smaller units (short-span fixed dental prostheses), either tooth- or implant-supported, as well as natural tooth abutments with good prognoses for long-span FDPs, is recommended to minimize the risk of failure of the entire restoration.