What Warrants a Tooth Extraction?

Your teeth are capable of lasting a lifetime. Maintaining proper brushing and flossing habits as well as visiting your dentist for routine checkups is vitally important to the longevity of your smile. However, there are times when extracting a tooth is necessary. These situations may or may not be under your control. When appropriate, the tooth can be replaced with a dental implant, which is a prosthetic alternative that looks, functions and feels like a natural tooth.

There are a number of reasons why a tooth extraction is necessary, including the following:

Gum Disease: Untreated gum disease causes deep pockets to form in your gum tissues. Over time, the gums continue to detach from the tooth root. Consequently, the tooth loses its stability and gets loose. At this point, a tooth extraction may be needed, along with proper gum disease treatment, to restore your smile.

Trauma or Injury: While minor chips or cracks can be fixed with dental bonding or a cosmetic crown, there are times when the tooth is too damaged to restore. In such cases, a tooth extraction and dental implant may be recommended.

Decay: If decay is allowed to penetrate the deep layers of the tooth, extensive damage can result. A root canal can often save a severely decayed or infected tooth. However, there are times when the structure and integrity of the tooth is too compromised and removing the tooth is more practical.

Orthodontics: It is common for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment to need one or more teeth removed in order to address a crowding issue. Younger patients may need a baby tooth extracted to encourage better alignment for the adult tooth when it comes in.

Wisdom Teeth: Unfortunately, impacted and problematic wisdom teeth are very common. Since wisdom teeth do not offer any real functional benefit, these back molars are often extracted. Many patients have their wisdom teeth removed as a preventative measure when they are in their late teens or early adulthood.

While you cannot prevent all of these scenarios for tooth extraction, you can certainly do your part to protect your natural teeth. Proper dental care, not smoking and seeing your dentist can go a long way in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Furthermore, patients who are at risk for dental injury, such as playing contact sports, should consider a custom mouthguard to protect their smile.

Salt Run Family Dentistry is committed to helping patients preserve their natural smile. However, if you need tooth removal, you will be treated with compassionate care and the latest dental techniques in modern dentistry. We also offer top quality tooth replacement options for those who need it.