7 Reasons Why You May Consider a Tooth Extraction

You might be surprised to learn that 120 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and more than 36 million Americans don’t have any teeth.

The reasons for this are many and varied, but the reality is that many of these teeth had to be extracted before the people were really ready for that event to happen.

Here are seven reasons why you might have to consider a tooth extraction, courtesy of Portrait Dental.

The tooth can’t be repaired

Your tooth can sometimes be damaged beyond repair, making an extraction necessary. This can happen if decay has taken over your tooth or if bacteria has gotten inside and an infection is running rampant. A root canal can sometimes help, but sometimes extraction is necessary to prevent the infection from spreading.

Overcrowding

If your teeth are growing so close together, they’re beginning to overlap, you’ll need to extract at least one to give the rest of your teeth room to grow and come in as normal. Overcrowding can cause many issues, so giving your teeth room to breathe is important.

The tooth is impacted

Sometimes, your wisdom teeth can become impacted — that is, they can’t erupt through your gums because they are being blocked by other teeth. If this is the case, your dentist will usually recommend that the impacted teeth be extracted.

Serious gum disease

If you have mild periodontal disease, you’ll probably be fine, but if the bacteria continue to run unchecked, the problem will become severe. This may mean you have to have teeth extracted because they have become loose in your gums, and there’s a danger they will fall out or cause more damage to your gums and jaws.

Orthodontic treatment

A tooth can need to be pulled for orthodontic reasons as well. If you’re getting ready to get braces because your teeth are not aligned properly, a tooth that is too crooked may need to be pulled so braces can be effective. 

Your baby teeth are still hanging around

Some kids have baby teeth that just won’t fall out. They stay in their mouth even as all their adult teeth grow in around them. Your dentist will give these teeth some time, but if the tooth lingers too long, it will need to be extracted to make room for adult teeth.

An accident

If you have a bad accident that affects your teeth, you may have to have a tooth removed. Your dentist will do their best to save the tooth using their best techniques, but if the tooth is damaged too much, extraction may be the only option.

If you need to have a tooth extracted, or if you just need a professional opinion, the expert team at Portrait Dental is ready and waiting to help. Just contact our office by phone or with our online appointment request form, and we’ll get you in as soon as we can. (And don’t forget — once the tooth is out, we have options to replace it too!)