Ill be having my remaining 16 teeth removed soon and will switch to dentures. The bottom teeth were small to begin with but now some are worn or broken to the gum line. Do the roots really have to be removed? I should add that I have a history of osteo radio necrosis (sp?) after 2 upper teeth were taken out following head/neck radiation.
Hello, Thanks for your query. If a tooth is fractured down to the gum line and needs to be removed dentists have special ultrathin instruments that can be used like a lever to loosen and remove the remaining root.  If the tooth is fractured deep into the bone special Piero instrumentation can gently remove bone around the tooth using ultravibration energy allowing access to push out the remaining piece of tooth. I do hope that you have found something helpful, and I will be glad to answer any further query. Take care