Tooth loss becomes increasingly common as Americans get older, but losing teeth after 50 is not necessarily something people simply have to accept. On the Roggin Report, Dr. Doug Cast of Evolution Dental, explained that several common dental problems can lead to tooth loss, and catching them early can make a major difference.
For people over 50, Dr. Doug identified three major contributors to tooth loss: gum disease, older mercury fillings and bruxism, or chronic clenching and grinding of the teeth. He said the latter two can contribute to cracks that gradually weaken a tooth.
And those cracks can become much more serious if they are ignored.
Dr. Doug compared the progression of a cracked tooth to stages of a serious illness. A relatively early crack, which he described as a Stage 1 crack, can often be treated with a crown. As the damage progresses, treatment can become more involved, potentially requiring a buildup, root canal and crown. In the most advanced cases, a tooth can fracture and split, leaving extraction as the only option.
“The sooner you get to it,” Dr. Doug said, “it has the best prognosis and it's the least expensive.”
He also used hypothetical costs to illustrate how delaying treatment can become much more expensive. A crown could cost around $2,000 in his example, while additional procedures such as a buildup or root canal could add substantially to the bill. If a tooth ultimately has to be replaced with an implant, he cited a hypothetical cost of about $6,000.
The message for Coachella Valley residents, particularly those over 50, was straightforward: Don't wait for a tooth to hurt before getting it checked.
Dr. Doug noted that some patients assume that if something doesn't hurt, there is no urgent problem. But dental damage, including cracks, can progress before symptoms become obvious.
The conversation also touched on the temptation to simply pull a damaged tooth rather than try to save it. Dr. Doug said extraction is not always the best answer and that many damaged teeth can be treated when problems are caught early.
For older adults, regular dental visits and paying attention to signs of grinding, cracked teeth or gum disease could mean the difference between saving a natural tooth and eventually needing an extraction or implant.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 17, 2026
