Tooth extraction is always the last resort for serious dental complications. One lost tooth can cause all kinds of problems further down the line, from crooked teeth to bone loss. And tooth replacement with a dental implant can be costly. Unfortunately, while dentists do all they can to save teeth, tooth extraction is sometimes unavoidable.
In the following scenarios, the most advisable course of action is tooth extraction.
When an infection spreads out of control
A dentist can treat an infected tooth with antibiotics and a root canal to remove the infection completely. They can then restore the tooth with a dental crown. But if the dental infection has spread out of control, it can be dangerous to your health. In this case, swift action is necessary to remove the infection before it can harm you any further. That action is usually extraction.
When a tooth root is cracked
If the upper portion, the crown, of a tooth suffers a crack, a dentist can easily fix that with a dental restoration like a crown. When a crack extends down to the root of a tooth, there is no way to save it. That tooth will eventually fail no matter how much restorative work is carried out on it. Extraction is the best option. You can then replace the tooth with a dental implant or bridge.
When teeth are badly crooked
Teeth, especially in young children and adults, can sometimes be so crooked that they prevent the eruption of secondary teeth. Dentists need to remove crooked teeth that impede erupting teeth; otherwise, the erupting teeth may become lodged in bone and gum tissue, which is known as impaction. To make way for the erupting tooth, it's necessary to remove the crooked tooth.
When nothing of a tooth remains above the gum line
It's very difficult to restore a tooth that has little to no structure remaining above the gum line. There is simply nothing for a dental restoration like a crown to adhere to, which means that extraction is the only option.
When a tooth impedes orthodontic treatment
If a patient's jaw is too small to accommodate all of their teeth comfortably, then orthodontic treatment won't be possible. To move teeth, there needs to be adequate space. As such, an orthodontist may suggest that a patient extract one or more teeth to make room for the remaining teeth to move into during orthodontic treatment.
It's not easy to lose a tooth. It can be difficult to adapt to eating and smiling with a gap between your teeth. But, as you can see, sometimes a tooth extraction is unavoidable. For more information about tooth extraction procedures, contact a local dentist, like PL Dental.
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