3 Reasons You May Need a Tooth Extraction

All dentists, including the caring Fremaux Dental Care team, have one essential goal: They focus on preventive dentistry, supporting strong teeth, and doing everything they can to sustain your natural teeth for a lifetime.

However, there are times when removing a tooth is the best choice. Should you face a tooth extraction, we explain why the procedure is needed and how we can replace your missing teeth.

Let’s explore the top three reasons for a tooth extraction, red-flag signs, and what to expect when having a tooth removed.

Reason 1: Severely damaged teeth

Extensive dental decay or damage too severe to repair are the most common reasons for needing a tooth extraction. We restore teeth with fillings, veneers, or a crown whenever possible. But we can’t use those techniques if the natural tooth can’t support the restoration.

We may recommend removing the tooth when:

• A large part of the tooth is gone or damaged
• Decay reaches the center of the tooth
• An infection causes extensive bone erosion

Advanced gum disease may also cause enough damage to affect the supporting bone, loosen the tooth, and require extraction.

Reason 2: Overcrowded teeth

Overcrowding is the rare time we may remove a healthy tooth. Correcting overcrowding is crucial to preserve a well-aligned bite and prevent future dental problems like cavities, cracked or chipped teeth, and jaw pain.

If you have overcrowding, your jaw can’t support all your permanent teeth. The jawbone may be too small, your teeth could be too large for the jaw, or you might have an extra tooth.

As a result, your adult teeth can’t grow straight and you end up with crooked or overlapping teeth. Or, the existing teeth may block new teeth from pushing through the gums. Then, the tooth grows sideways, creating an impacted tooth.

Though braces can correct crooked and misaligned teeth, we often need to extract a tooth to create enough space for tooth movement.

Reason 3: Impacted teeth

As mentioned above, teeth get impacted when they can’t grow straight up through the gum. Impacted teeth remain stuck in the gum or grow sideways.

This problem can occur in any tooth but usually affects wisdom or canine teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last to grow in, appearing between the age of 17 to 21. Canine teeth are the pointy teeth on both sides of your four front teeth.

An impacted tooth doesn’t automatically need to be removed. It can stay in place if it doesn’t cause dental problems. However, impactions frequently cause infections or push against the nearby teeth, forcing them out of alignment.

Signs you might need a tooth extraction

Crooked and damaged teeth are visible signs you could need an extraction. You may also have symptoms of problems you can’t see, such as:

• Pain (toothache or gum pain ranging from mild to excruciating)
• Bad breath
• Red, swollen gums
• Pain when chewing
• Headaches or jaw pain
• Unpleasant taste in your mouth

Few people look forward to visiting the dentist, but don’t put off scheduling an appointment if you have any symptoms or concerns. Early treatment may give us the chance to save the tooth.

What happens during a tooth extraction

After completing a dental exam and taking digital X-rays, we determine whether you need an extraction or have another treatment option.

The first thing to know about tooth extraction is that it’s a pain-free procedure. One of our specialty dental services is sedation dentistry.

That means we’re experts in providing techniques such as local anesthetics, nitrous oxide, and oral sedation, to help you relax and ensure your comfort.

The way we remove the tooth depends on the underlying problem. We use special instruments to loosen the tooth and pull it out when enough of the tooth is above the gum. 

If your tooth is badly decayed or impacted, or little remains above the gum line, we cut into the gum to reach the tooth and remove it.

For the final step, we cleanse and disinfect the tooth socket, may insert a few stitches, and place gauze over the site to help stop the bleeding.

Have questions about your dental care?

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions about tooth extractions or any dental concerns. Our team is here to help with answers, explanations, and gentle, pain-free dental care.

Connect through online booking or call the Fremaux Dental Care office today.