Your dentist will work with you to preserve your natural dental structure for as long as possible. However, in some cases, the dentist might recommend the extraction of one or more teeth to protect the rest of your smile. This will involve oral surgery in which a dentist will cut into the gums to remove the designated teeth.
Many people may feel nervous about extensive work, but your dentist will prioritize your comfort and your long-term oral health throughout this treatment. Still, you likely might wonder which dental scenarios may lead to the need for a tooth extraction. Read on to find three examples of when a dentist might suggest extracting a tooth.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
When many dental patients think about a tooth extraction procedure, they think about wisdom teeth removal. Wisdom teeth refer to the third set of molars that begin to grow after puberty. Most people have these teeth despite humanity evolving to no longer need them.
As a result, the jaw often does not have room for these extra teeth. Then these teeth can introduce complications to oral health as they grow. In many instances, they become impacted, meaning they get stuck trying to burst through the gum tissue.
Impacted wisdom teeth can leave a patient in serious pain. Plus, the scenario heightens their risk of oral infections. For this reason, most wisdom teeth will require extraction to prevent other dental problems.
Dental Overcrowding
Many people desire a straight smile, but genetics and other factors can disrupt your dental alignment. Your teeth may shift and grow crooked, but they can also become overcrowded.
Dental overcrowding can present a number of oral health concerns beyond aesthetic issues in your smile. You may have trouble performing oral functions and you may see disruptions in your airway with less room in your mouth. If these problems arise, a dentist may suggest a tooth extraction.
Removing teeth in this case will allow you to feel more comfortable and will remove hindrances to your oral capabilities. After this procedure, talk to your dentist about teeth-straightening treatments to further amend your dental alignment.
Extensive Tooth Damage
Most of us will develop at least one cavity in our lives. A dentist can treat these early forms of tooth decay with relative ease. But if you delay this treatment, decay will spread and severely harm your dental structure.
Then you will require more extensive dental work to restore your dental health and get rid of the advanced tooth decay. If decay reaches too deeply into your tooth, the dentist may need to extract it to prevent further damage to your smile. Advanced tooth decay can spread to other teeth and increase the risk of infection in the tooth.
Do not ignore cavities or other dental problems. Make sure you continue receiving your routine dental care so that you can diagnose and treat these issues promptly and protect your smile.