A 50-year-old reports pain in the anterior teeth. Tooth #9 has a 7 mm mesiobuccal probing depth; a radiograph shows a short, thick post deviated mesially with slight adjacent radiolucency and no clear perforation, though the post is very close to the surface. What should the dentist do?

A short, thick, mesially deviated post very close to perforation with a deep localized pocket (7 mm) and adjacent bone loss indicates a poor prognosis (likely strip perforation/vertical root fracture pathway); extraction and implant placement is the most predictable definitive option.Other options: Retreatment and crown/post replacement do not solve an imminent perforation or localized periodontal-endodontic breakdown; crown lengthening does not address the structural problem.Key exam takeaway: A near-perforating deviated post with localized deep pocketing and bone loss = hopeless tooth; extract and implant.