When is Surgical Tooth Extraction Necessary?

Surgical tooth extraction is a last resort treatment that we reserve for serious dental health issues. In most cases, we can use fillings, crowns and other treatments before it reaches the point of having to pull a tooth.

There are some cases where removing a tooth becomes necessary to protect your health and comfort. This usually occurs after a traumatic injury to your mouth. Oral health issues that go without treatment too long can also lead to a need for extraction.

Many people fear getting a tooth pulled. We understand and use gentle, pain-free methods.We offer several types of sedation if you are just too fearful, so don’t put it off.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Not all wisdom teeth lead to extractions. Some people have enough room in their mouth for wisdom teeth to erupt without a problem. Other people have wisdom teeth that are at an odd angle or that don’t have enough room to come in. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain, infections and start to push the other teeth out of place.

Wisdom tooth removal is one of the most common oral surgery procedures. These can often be done before you ever experience a problem since we can usually predict what will happen by checking x-rays of your mouth.

Severe Overcrowding

We prefer to use non-invasive treatments such as Invisalign to treat overcrowded and crooked teeth when it is possible. Some patients have extremely small jaws that don’t have enough room for all of their teeth to come in properly. Removing a tooth can sometimes increase the effectiveness of braces since it gives the teeth enough room to rest comfortably along the jawline.

Failed Root Canal Treatments

Root canals are the first treatment that we use for teeth with pulp infections or certain types of fractures. These treatments are usually successful, but some teeth are beyond repair. A root canal failure can occur if a person had an infection for so long that nerve damage occurred.

Extractions may also be necessary to prevent an infection from spreading to the other teeth. Since teeth that have reached this point become extremely painful, most patients find immediate relief after the extraction.

Lost Bone Mass Due to Gum Disease

Teeth can sometimes appear perfectly fine and require surgical removal. This often happens with cases of severe periodontal disease. Once gum disease continues on to the advanced levels, the bacterial infection begins to wear away at the jawbone. If enough bone is lost, then teeth become loose.

An extraction can be performed along with gum treatments to start building back up the bone health. Following the extraction, we immediately begin to treat the gum disease. We can also explore options such as bone grafting to prepare the area for dental implants after the gum disease is under control.

Major Dental Injuries

Dental crowns work great for covering up teeth that have minor chips and cracks. A major dental injury would involve one that breaks the tooth down to the root. Teeth that are broken at the gum line do not have enough structure to cover up with crowns. Surgical extractions are common after a major blow to the mouth leads to a knocked-out tooth. Removing any fractured or remaining pieces of the tooth paves the way for a successful replacement.

Tooth extractions are not always avoidable. When you need to get a tooth pulled, you can trust that our gentle dentistry options will help you stay comfortable. We also have several options to replace the missing tooth. Whether you prefer implants or crowns, you will love how your new smile looks and feels.