When a wisdom tooth, or third molar, becomes impacted behind another molar or within your jawbone structure, extracting it requires performing minor oral surgery to expose and remove the tooth’s structure. When surgical tooth extraction is required, this is one of the most frequent reasons why. However, it isn’t the only reason, and for some patients, surgical extraction may be necessary for one or more teeth that aren’t third molars. Today, we examine a few situations in which surgically extracting a tooth could be the best thing for your smile and oral health.
Because the tooth is extremely damaged
Extreme tooth damage can describe a variety of different specific concerns. For example, the crown of the tooth might be severely broken, with little or no structure left above the gum line to grasp in order to extract it. Because of the nature of severe tooth damage in most cases, the best solution for restoring your smile is to extract the tooth and replace it, restoring your bite’s function in that part of your dental ridge. If the damage is severe enough, this may require oral surgery to ensure all of its structure is safely and completely removed.
Because most of the tooth has decayed
The decaying of healthy, natural tooth structure is a common problem. It’s the reason why cavities form, which is the most common concern for people of all ages. The problem, however, is that tooth decay progresses and continues to grow worse the longer you allow it to. In severe cases, it can also be the reason why some teeth need root canal therapy instead of a tooth filling. In more extreme cases, it can also become a reason to extract the tooth in order to protect and preserve the rest of your oral health. Because tooth decay is progressive, it causes continuous damage to your tooth, and if it’s bad enough to require tooth extraction, it may have also eroded too much of your natural structure to extract the tooth without oral surgery.
Because the root can’t support it anymore
When a tooth’s crown becomes damaged, there’s a chance to restore it if the damage isn’t severe yet. However, when a tooth’s root becomes damaged, there isn’t a common restoration to address it. With the exception of your molars, most teeth only have one root. If this root becomes fractured, severely infected, or otherwise compromised, then it may lead to the need to surgically extract the tooth’s root along with its visible crown structure. Fortunately, you can replace the extracted tooth root with a dental implant post and its visible crown with a more lifelike, custom-designed restoration.
Learn if your tooth needs surgical extraction
In addition to impacted wisdom teeth, there are other severe conditions that could require surgically extracting your compromised tooth structure. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
