5 Reasons You May Need a Tooth Extraction

man holding his jaw and wincing with severe tooth pain

We all try our best to keep our teeth healthy, but at times, when nothing can be done to save a tooth, an extraction is needed. In a tooth extraction procedure, the dentist will completely remove the permanent tooth. There are a variety of reasons why this procedure might be necessary, read on to learn more.

1. Severe Decay

Cavities and tooth decay can usually be handled while keeping the tooth in place, especially if the damage is detected and treated early. Sometimes, however, the tooth can’t be saved.

2. Crowding

Sometimes, when there’s crowding in the mouth, a tooth, or several, may need to be pulled to make room. Crowding happens when there’s not enough room on the jaw to accommodate all of the permanent teeth. It causes the teeth to shift, and can make the smile look crooked, and can even increase one’s chance for decay and other dental issues.

3. Infection

If an infection occurs in or around a tooth and cannot be controlled, the teeth may need to be removed. The dentist will remove the tooth in hopes to get the infection under control and keep it from spreading, and, potentially, causing serious complications.

4. Trauma

If you break or crack a tooth, get to the dentist ASAP, and the doctor will do everything they can to try to save the tooth. Although it’s usually possible, there are times when it’s simply the best option to extract the tooth.

5. Dead Tooth

When the nerves within the tooth die, the tooth itself will die. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including decay and trauma. The dead tooth will eventually fall out by itself, but leaving it in the mouth puts the patient at risk for infection, and the dentist will prefer to extract the tooth.

Restorative Dental Care at River Vista Dentistry

Nobody wants to have a tooth pulled, but it happens. The good news? We’re here to take care of you. At River Vista Dentistry, we’ll keep you at ease during your extraction, and when it comes time to replace the missing tooth, we have fantastic options that’ll make your smile as good as new.

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