Why Would I Need a Tooth Extraction?

While dentistry is dedicated to helping people maintain healthy teeth, it is sometimes necessary for dentists to remove one tooth to protect the health of the rest of the mouth. While people are understandably hesitant about having a tooth removed, doing so can spare many patients a great deal of pain, expense, and future illness. Here are a few reasons why tooth extraction may be necessary.

The Tooth Is Infected and Beyond Saving

Tooth decay starts as a pre-cavity spot, and it can usually be reversed if a dentist catches it at that point. However, once a cavity is formed, the damage cannot be reversed and will only progress until the infection is eliminated through dental intervention. If tooth decay goes untreated for long enough, the pulp of the tooth will become infected, resulting in a miserable toothache. While these toothaches can usually be treated with a root canal, the infection can progress to a point where the tooth simply cannot be saved.

Untreated tooth decay isn’t just a threat to the infected tooth. The bacteria can infect neighboring teeth, causing further tooth decay, and can even spread to other parts of the body where they cause dangerous secondary infections like sepsis or pneumonia. For this reason, some infected teeth require removal for the sake of the patient’s oral and overall health.

There Is Not Enough Room in the Mouth

The wisdom teeth typically begin to erupt in the late teens or early twenties. Unfortunately, many patients do not have enough room in their mouths to accommodate them. This can cause them to grow in sideways, fail to emerge completely, or push neighboring teeth out of alignment. Wisdom teeth that don’t completely emerge from the gum breed infectious bacteria, and misaligned teeth are harder to clean and more vulnerable to injury and decay. In many cases, allowing wisdom teeth to remain can ruin the hard-won results of orthodontic work from previous years.

The pressure the wisdom teeth exert on the rest of the mouth often causes their owner constant pain. It is common for wisdom teeth to be removed by an oral surgeon. This keeps the mouth easy to clean and allows the patient to live much more comfortably.

Modern tooth extractions are rendered painless by anesthetic treatments. If your dentist is recommending that you have a tooth removed, you can rest assured that it is the best possible option.

About the Practice

Anderson Dental Center provides the highest-quality dental care available in Hackensack, NJ. Led by a team of seven dentists, the staff provides each patient with personalized services in a warm and compassionate environment. Areas of expertise include general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry as well as tooth extraction services. For more information about why tooth extractions are necessary, contact the office online or dial (201) 546-7435.