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When are Extractions Necessary?

August 22, 2018

Filed under: Care — tntadmin @ 4:42 pm

There are a few cases in which a tooth extraction is needed to keep the oral structure healthy. Infection, damage, and impaction are all reasons in which a dentist might extract a tooth.

Severe Infection

If a tooth is badly infected, it will cause immense discomfort. Bad breath, along with tenderness and swelling are all symptoms of a tooth infection. An untreated tooth infection poses a threat to other teeth as well- thus, it’s in patients’ best interest to resolve the issue promptly.

Root canal therapy can save teeth, but only when the infection is localized to the inner pulp of the tooth. Root canal therapy essentially cleans out the infection and replaces it with a body-safe material (like gutta percha). Extraction is preferred over RCT only when the tooth is beyond repair. In that case, going forward with the RCT would be wasteful.

Deep Fractures

If a tooth is damaged severely, then it may be best to remove and replace it rather than desperately try to save it. Fractures that extend more than one millimeter below the bone line indicate an extraction is necessary. These fractures, known as root fractures, post an increased risk for infection and endanger the oral health and overall health.

Impaction

The most commonly impacted (and most commonly extracted) teeth are the wisdom teeth. Many people simply do not have large enough mouths to support the eruption of four bulky teeth. Oftentimes, dentists will preemptively remove wisdom teeth to save patients the discomfort of impacted wisdom teeth.

These teeth serve no function that can’t be accomplished by the back molars that are already present, and are known to cause overcrowding when they don’t cause impaction. Thus, it’s best to get wisdom teeth extracted overall.

Visit Chisholm Trail Dental Health for Your Tooth Extraction

If you currently need or anticipate needing an extraction soon, visit the office of Dr. Mike Asay. He performs tooth extractions skillfully at his Round Rock, TX dental practice.

 

 

 

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