What the foundation includes
Root length and health, the bone around each root, the gum thickness, and the ligament that cushions biting. Restorations depend on all of them.
How it is assessed
3D imaging and periodontal probing at the consultation. A tooth with a short or cracked root is not a good foundation for a veneer; a site with thin bone needs grafting before an implant.
Building on it
Treat gum disease, save roots that can be saved, replace those that cannot with implants that load the bone. Then the smile is designed on something that will hold it.
