What Are the Most Common Reasons for Tooth Extraction?

Extracting a tooth isn’t something that everyone will need to do. Yet, when your dentist suggests it, it’s for a good reason, and hesitating could lead to a heightened risk of even more serious oral health complications. Today, we examine a few of the most common reasons for tooth extraction and how the procedure helps save your smile. In many cases, your dentist might also include an appropriate tooth replacement option, such as dental implants, to complete your smile restoration procedure.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Everyone grows two sets of adult molars, but when the third set tries to grow in, there often isn’t enough room for them. Known as wisdom teeth, third molars often become impacted by second molars, which prevent them from erupting fully from the gum line. As they continue growing, the impacted molars can cause increasingly worse pain in and around your nearby teeth, as well as tooth damage and forced misalignment of your teeth. Extracting them is therefore the only way to stop them from causing such damage and relieve the resulting dental pain.

Severely Crooked Teeth

When teeth are crooked, they can make it harder for your jaw to work properly as you bite and chew. Orthodontic treatment can typically correct tooth misalignment, but in cases of severely crooked teeth, one or more of them may need to be removed to make room for the others. Extracting the obtrusive tooth can ensure the success of your orthodontic treatment and the long-term health of your smile.

Extremely Damaged or Decayed Teeth

When the top portion of a tooth (called the crown) is fractured or broken, a dental crown can often be fashioned to cap and protect it, restoring the tooth’s ability to function. However, if the damage or decay is too severe, or if the root within your jawbone has fractured, then extracting it may be necessary so that your dentist can replace it with a stronger, highly lifelike replacement.

Ask Your Dentist About the Need for Tooth Extraction

In cases of severe dental health issues, tooth extraction could be the most conservative way to preserve and restore the rest of your oral health. To learn more, schedule an appointment, call Gentle Smiles in Dallas, TX, today at 972-329-7645 (972-329-SMILE).