Dental: “does it work” and “does it last” are two different questions
Root canal treatment shows 74.7% success on the strict criterion in a meta-analysis of 40 studies, and 97% tooth survival at eight years across 1,462,936 teeth followed in a US insurance database. Both figures are true and they do not measure the same thing. A single implant survives at 95.2% at ten years, but the crown on top of it at 89.4%: what breaks is not what you would expect.
The questions people ask us
- Does a cavity really have to be drilled out completely?
- How long does a root canal actually last?
- Implant or bridge, which one lasts longer?
- My gums bleed, is that serious?
- Why do my teeth shift again after orthodontics?
- Should painless wisdom teeth be removed?
What the figures say
| What is measured | The figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| People affected by a major oral condition | 3.69 billion | Global Burden of Disease, 2021 |
| Prevalent cases of caries in permanent teeth | 2.24 billion | Global Burden of Disease, 2021 |
| Prevalent cases of severe periodontitis | 1.1 billion, the 6th most common condition worldwide | Global Burden of Disease, 2019 |
| Root canal success, strict criterion | 74.7%, against 85.2% on the loose criterion | Meta-analysis of 40 studies |
| Survival of the treated tooth at 8 years | 97% | US insurance database, 1,462,936 teeth |
| Survival of a single implant at 10 years, and of its crown | 95.2% and 89.4% | Review of 46 studies |
| Preventive removal of asymptomatic wisdom teeth | Evidence insufficient to decide | Cochrane review |
Those seven lines say one thing. In dentistry the decision almost never turns on whether the treatment exists, it turns on the criterion chosen to call it a success. Asking “what is your success rate” means nothing until you have asked “success by which criterion, measured at what point”.
What Noria Health does in dentistry, and what it does not
Noria Health arranges a full dental and maxillofacial work-up near Brussels within 24 to 48 hours: clinical examination, appropriate imaging including cone beam where indicated, and a written treatment plan that states, for each procedure, the success criterion used and the point at which it will be assessed. The report is issued within 24 hours, follow-up is structured at D14, D30 and D90, and surgery is considered only around day 10 if it is needed.
What Noria Health does not do: guarantee how long a tooth or an implant will last. The figures above describe cohorts, not one mouth, and the gap between a group survival rate and an individual result is decided by oral hygiene, smoking and occlusion, three factors that are not settled in a consultation.
Who reviewed this page
Noria Health editorial team. This page has not yet been reviewed by a practitioner in the specialty. It will be before any commercial promotion.
The dental articles
- Caries: 2.5 billion people affected
- Root canal treatment: without a crown, the tooth is lost 6 times faster
- Implants: 95% still in place after 10 years
- Gums: more than 1 billion severe cases worldwide
- Orthodontics: why teeth shift again after treatment
- Wisdom teeth: 1 person in 3 has at least one impacted
Have your case reviewed. Noria Health arranges a specialist consultation near Brussels and confirms feasibility within 24 to 48 hours. Open a case.