Dentists work hard to help patients keep their teeth. Prevention of problems is part of the mission of dental work but there is only so much a dentist can do. Sometimes, an extraction is the only solution.
Five common dental issues lead to tooth extractions. Some of them can be prevented before an extraction becomes necessary.
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A tooth is too damaged.
Technology is awesome today and can help restore many damaged teeth. There’s bonding, crowns, and caps. However, sometimes teeth are too damaged to repair. This can be a tooth decayed down to the pulp at the root where even a root canal can get rid of the infection.
It could be a tooth split in two or broken to the point that it can’t be fixed. Other reasons for severely damaged teeth are gum disease, mouth injury, and bone loss.
A severely damaged tooth may not be a simple extraction where the tooth is pulled out as a whole tooth. The dentist may have to break the tooth into sections to remove it.
This typically happens when the tooth is already broken to the point that the dentist doesn’t have enough tooth to pull it out. That requires pulling it out in sections. It won’t cause any more pain or risk to you to do this. It may take a little longer to perform the procedure.
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Overcrowded mouth.
Some people have teeth that are too big for their mouths or have extra teeth. Sometimes, a dentist has to pull a tooth or two to prepare a patient for braces because there isn’t enough room for the braces to work.
At times, there may not be enough room for other teeth to erupt through the gums or the teeth cause the patient to bite their tongue or cheek often.
The dentist will take X-rays to get a better look at the space in your mouth before recommending removing teeth. Dentists typically don’t like to remove healthy teeth but may have no choice for those teeth that are non-functional or crowding out other teeth.
Wisdom teeth fall into this category as they crowd out other teeth so they are usually removed.
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There’s a risk of infection.
This is a bit rarer than other reasons but sometimes a dentist feels a tooth or teeth could get infected because of where they are located or those impacted. Wisdom teeth can be included in this category.
Wisdom teeth are routinely infected because it’s hard to reach that far back to properly clean them. Impacted wisdom teeth can also get easily infected.
Since wisdom teeth are considered unnecessary, it’s a simple solution to remove them to avoid infections.
Patients going through other medical procedures may also have a tooth at risk for infection because their immune system is compromised. In that case, the dentist may decide to pull the tooth so they can successfully complete medical treatment.
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Gum disease
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, can cause bone and tissue in the jaw and gums to get infected. This may make teeth loose, Loose teeth will need to be pulled and substituted for implants.
Once teeth become loose, there is no way to repair them or make them stronger in the jawbone. You will likely need bone grafts to rebuild the bone as well as implants.
Gum disease is one of the leading problems leading to tooth loss.
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Improperly positioned teeth
Teeth can be in the wrong position, causing irritation to the cheek or tongue. They can cause pain and not function as they should. Some teeth may only come in partially or are impacted.
Impacted teeth are those growing into the jawbone or under the gum. They are non-functioning, can cause pain, and damage other teeth so it’s best to remove them.
A dentist will remove these teeth to improve overall function, halt pain, and prevent infection.
Extractions Aren’t Painful
Extractions are done using a local anesthetic so you won’t feel pain during the procedure. You will feel the pressure of the dentist doing the work but that is it.
You may feel pain or discomfort after the numbing medication wears off but that can be treated with over-the-counter medication.
Are You In Pain?
People often suffer from tooth pain because they think going to the dentist is a hassle and expensive. We don’t want you to live in pain. We do all we can to make a dental exam and procedure stress and hassle-free.
Our dentist can examine your mouth and help you save your teeth. They can extract them if necessary and our office staff will help you budget out dental expenses, contact insurance, or get you connected with programs you are eligible for to help cut expenses.
Call or schedule an appointment today and let us help you smile again!
