There are several different conditions that can raise your risks of losing one or more teeth. When they get severe enough, it can sometimes be a better idea to extract the tooth than to wait for it to be lost on its own. While tooth extraction isn’t a commonly recommended treatment option, it may be the most appropriate solution if the tooth can’t be restored and saved through other means. Today, we examine a few conditions that might lead to a need for tooth extraction, and why removing the tooth could be the best thing for your oral health.
Severe damage to their main structures
A tooth fracture or break isn’t a frequent reason for needing to extract a tooth. In fact, damaged teeth are more often successfully restored with the right customized dental treatment, which can be designed according to the specific nature and extent of the tooth’s damage. However, when the tooth’s structure is severely compromised, or most of it has broken off, then extracting what remains of the natural tooth structure may be necessary to avoid further concerns in or around the tooth.
Fractures or breaks in a tooth’s root
When a tooth’s visible structure, or crown, becomes fractured or broken, it can likely be restored if the damage isn’t too severe. However, the tooth’s root isn’t visible or accessible, and if it becomes damaged, there may not be a way to restore it. The longer the damaged tooth root remains, the more discomfort it can cause, and the greater threat it can pose to the dental ridge and tissues surrounding it. Your dentist or oral surgeon may suggest surgically extracting the tooth and its root in order to replace it with a dental implant restoration.
A severe case of gum disease
The most frequent cause behind adult tooth loss is the severe progression of gum disease, or periodontal disease. The condition systematically erodes the periodontal tissues, ligaments, and bone structure that support your teeth roots, leaving one or more teeth loose and without adequate support in its later stages. Extracting a tooth that has lost most or all of this support may be an important step in helping you restore your good periodontal health and avoid the loss of any more natural teeth.
Find out if you need tooth extraction
There are some conditions that may require extracting a tooth in order to preserve the rest of your smile and oral health. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
