Often times, when patients think of tooth extraction the first thing that comes to mind is wisdom teeth – or third molars. Unfortunately, your wisdom teeth aren’t the only teeth that may need to be removed. However, extraction is typically only recommended when your dentist believes they cannot save your tooth (especially in cases of periodontitis and decay). If you’ve been suffering from unusual tooth pain or bleeding gums, visiting your dentist as soon as you can will help to keep your mouth healthy and decrease your chance for extraction. If left untreated, it could turn into one of the five reasons your tooth may be extracted.
1.Your Wisdom Tooth Is Impacted
Not only are impacted wisdom teeth painful, but they can also affect the surrounding teeth and create a perfect environment for an infection to form. In order to protect the rest of your mouth, your dentist will likely recommend removal in this case.
2.Your Mouth Is Crowded
Whether it’s to make room for orthodontics or it’s a wisdom tooth that’s pushing your other teeth together, if your mouth is becoming too crowded, tooth extraction can help to create more space.
3.Your Tooth Is Severely Damaged
If you’ve suffered from a facial injury or trauma, your tooth could be broken or chipped. In other situations, your tooth could be severely decayed. If your dentist is unable to save your tooth with a filling, crown, or root canal, it will probably need to be removed.
4.You’re Suffering From Advanced Periodontitis
Advanced periodontitis (or gum disease) pulls your gum tissue away from your teeth. Extraction may become necessary if the condition has become too severe for your dentist to be able to reattach the gum tissue to your tooth.
5.Your Tooth Poses Risks To Other Teeth
As a general rule, if your tooth is endangering the teeth surrounding it, your dentist will probably recommend removing it before any infection progresses.
