When you learn that you require a dental extraction to improve your oral health, you may initially have some misgivings. After all, there are so many restorative dentistry treatments available to offer support and repairs, you may wonder if the removal of your tooth is necessary. First, we would like to reassure you that we only suggest extractions after exhausting all other modes of improvement. In addition, extractions allow you to return to a healthy smile when the tooth in question is highly problematic. Allow us to explain with some common reasons for extractions.
Reason #1: An Infected Tooth
A common reason for a dental extraction is an infected tooth. When infection begins, we can often treat the affected tooth with a root canal treatment. However, for severe infections (such as those that remain neglected), we may need to remove the tooth. Leaving the tooth in place may lead to an abscess or infection that spreads.
Reason #2: A Significantly Damaged Tooth
A tooth that is too severely broken for a filling or dental crown cannot remain standing in place. If we cannot restore the tooth, we must remove it to prevent further damage, infection, and problems with your bite’s balance. Once you have healed after the dental extraction, we may replace the tooth with a gorgeous prosthetic.
Reason #3: Wisdom Tooth Problems
For some individuals, wisdom teeth do not present a problem. For others, one, multiple, or all wisdom teeth may require dental extractions. This occurs when your wisdom teeth fail to develop in a healthy manner. Whether they do not erupt (impaction) or grow on an angle that threatens nearby teeth, their removal will protect your smile from problems like infection, cysts, damage, and often even misalignment.