“Do decayed teeth have to be removed?”

First try to fix it.

No, not at all. It depends on the size of the decay. A small to moderate amount of decay can be removed and the tooth restored with a filling. A tooth with more decay can be restored with a crown. Extracting a tooth is the last resort. Trying to keep all your teeth should be your priority. Losing them at an early age will be something you will most likely regret later in life.

Drew Shulman, DMD, MAGD