When Are Dental Extractions Necessary?

Health

Tooth extraction or tooth removal is a dental procedure in which the dentist completely removes or pulls out your tooth from the socket and the jaw bone. It usually takes more than one trip to the dentist to get the extraction done. Dentists resort to tooth extraction for only special and severe cases and do not easily recommend it to patients. 

Tooth extraction may sound scary since the process involves pulling a tooth out of your mouth. However, local anesthesia can make things easier and painless for you. The dentist gives an incision to the gum to expose the root. So, you may need some downtime for your injuries to heal. Visit a dentist in Eastover, Charlotte, NC, today. 

In what conditions is dental extraction necessary?

  • Severe decay. 

You invite bacteria in when you eat food and do not brush properly, getting the tiny food residue out. The food in your mouth contains sugar, which the bacteria love to feed on. During the process, the bacteria release a certain acid when digesting the sugars, which eats away at your enamel. This causes your teeth to become damaged, commonly known as cavities. Left untreated for a long while, the same can turn into severe decay. 

  • The only possible solution to a periodontal disease. 

Periodontal disease is the disease of the gums, gum ligaments, and other structures surrounding your teeth. Gingivitis is the most basic stage of the disease while the more severe kind results in the damage of periodontal ligaments and the alveolar bone. The cause of periodontal disease is yet again not brushing and flossing, which results in plaque formation. Sometimes, the tooth becomes so loosened that extraction remains the only option. 

  • Overcrowding. 

Overcrowding is when your teeth cannot make their place inside your mouth and cannot form a decent alignment. Almost every person is born with some kind of alignment issue, but severe problems can result in poor functioning that interferes with eating. To fix this, removing a tooth to make space may become necessary. If your dentist is recommending an extraction, the benefits of doing it must be strong. 

  • To help an impacted tooth. 

If you know anything about the wisdom tooth, you may know its struggle. When your wisdom tooth is trying to come out, but your unhealed gums prevent it from fully erupting, it can cause a phenomenon called the impacted tooth. This impacted tooth must be taken out to avoid infection and overcrowding.