Every irreversible dental decision comes down to five plain questions. Bring these to your next visit, or use them to think through a recommendation you have already been given. There are no wrong answers. A thoughtful "I'm not sure yet" is often the most honest one.
How much healthy tooth is left?
Structure is how much of your original tooth is still intact and strong. Old fillings, cracks, and missing walls all reduce it.
- How much of the original tooth is still healthy?
- Are there cracks, missing walls, or thin edges?
- What has already been done to this tooth before?
Is this tooth under heavy biting or grinding pressure?
Force is how hard you load your teeth every day. Grinding, clenching, and hard chewing all raise it.
- Do you clench or grind, especially at night?
- Does your bite feel even, or does one side do more work?
- Have other teeth in the same area broken or worn down?
Is the problem stable, or is it getting worse?
Time asks whether things are holding steady, changing slowly, or changing quickly. The direction matters more than the current state.
- Has this problem been the same for months or years?
- Is it getting worse over the last few visits?
- Are the symptoms new, coming and going, or constant?
Will this option hold up long-term?
Long-term stability is the honest answer to: how predictable is this for the next 10, 20, or 30 years, under the way you actually use your teeth?
- What does the dentist project for this option in 10 years?
- What tends to fail first with this kind of work?
- What would the next decision be if this one wears out?
Can we safely monitor, or is treatment needed now?
Threshold is the moment when watching is no longer safer than acting. Before threshold, less is more. After threshold, waiting adds risk.
- What would we be watching for at the next visit?
- What would tell us it is time to act?
- What is the cost of waiting three, six, or twelve more months?
If your answers point in the same direction, that is convergence, and the decision is usually clear. If they disagree, that disagreement is important information. It usually means the tooth is not at threshold yet, or that one variable (often force or time) needs to be understood better before an irreversible decision is made.
This form is not a substitute for a clinical exam. It is a shared language for the conversation.