When Is a Tooth Extraction Necessary

Although it is best to preserve a natural tooth, there are times when a tooth extraction is necessary. Extraction may be the best option to maintain oral health due to trauma, disease, or crowding. Tooth extraction involves the complete removal of one or more teeth from the jawbone.

Tooth extraction is available at Dental Bright in Houston and the surrounding area. Our team can extract teeth gently and safely to preserve your oral health. Call us at (713) 783-6060 to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment.

Preventing Infection

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. Gum disease occurs when bacteria get below the gum line and causes infections. Without treatment, oral bacteria can cause gum recession, damage to the jawbone, loose teeth, and even tooth loss.

Research has also shown chronic dental infections can cause inflammation that contributes to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and many other related diseases. While a root canal can often save a tooth from decay, sometimes a tooth is beyond saving due to lost structure and stability. Tooth extraction can prevent damaging decay and infection from spreading.

Overcrowded or Impacted Teeth

In some cases, it is beneficial to have crowded or impacted teeth extracted. Impacted wisdom teeth do not have enough room to grow. Thus, extraction can prevent pain, infection, and other dental problems.

While not all wisdom teeth need removal, it becomes necessary once they start causing problems. In some cases, wisdom teeth do not fully break through the gums and can cause crowding issues. Also, a partially erupted wisdom tooth is especially susceptible to cavities. 

Patients may also need teeth extracted before receiving braces. Orthodontics involves the process of properly aligning the teeth, which may be tough if there isn’t enough room.

Crowded teeth also increase a patient’s risk of developing gum disease and cavities. Extracting teeth can relieve crowding and impacted teeth.

When Tooth Restoration Is Not Enough

Typically, the first option to restore a damaged tooth is a crown or filling. But if the damage is too severe, trying to save a tooth may put oral health at further risk. A filling may put the tooth at risk of shattering, while a tooth may not be strong enough to support a crown. Root canals are also not possible when there is too much tooth damage.

Each tooth has a limit to how many times it can be worked on before it starts to fail. Redoing a crown or root canal only buys so much time. After several fillings, crowns, and root canals, there will not be much of the tooth left to save. At that point, tooth extraction is the best option to maintain oral health.

Trauma and Tooth Extraction

Teeth are tough but not indestructible. Traumatic dental injuries can occur from a sports injury, car accident, or even a simple slip and fall. While many injuries are minor, if the tooth becomes severely damaged to the point where restoration is not possible, an extraction will be necessary.

After sustaining tooth trauma, patients should schedule an appointment quickly to improve their outcomes. Our team can look for signs of additional damage that may not be immediately obvious. Severely fractured teeth can be very loose and unable to be restored with dental work, thus making tooth extraction necessary. Patients should take any dental trauma seriously, even if it seems mild.