When is it Time for a Tooth Extraction?

The words “tooth extraction” can sound scary at first, but tooth removal is a fairly common practice in dentistry. There are a few reasons a tooth might have to be removed, but in the end it’s usually a better option for your dental health. Here are a few things to know about tooth extraction before your next procedure.

The Main Cause: Overcrowding

Aside from damage or decay, one of the main reasons for tooth removal, especially in children, is overcrowding. This occurs when you have too many teeth for the size of your mouth or have teeth that have grown too close together.

In children, this can happen when baby teeth don’t fall out fast enough to make room for their permanent teeth. Overcrowding can be bad for your oral health, but tooth extraction is an easy way to fix the problem and give teeth room to grow. In this case, tooth removal can be an important aspect of your preventative dental care.

The Tooth Extraction Process

There are two main types of dental extraction: simple and surgical. A simple tooth extraction happens when a tooth has already emerged past the gumline, while a surgical extraction is for teeth that have not yet emerged. During a simple tooth extraction, your dentist will remove the problem tooth using forceps while you’re given anesthesia for the pain.

Wisdom tooth extraction would be considered a surgical tooth extraction, even if they have emerged past the gums, due to the depth of their roots. With a surgical tooth extraction, your dentist will have to make a small incision into the gums in order to remove the tooth. Sometimes the tooth will need to be cut into smaller pieces to make the removal process easier.

The specialists at Schon Dental are here to make your tooth extraction as quick and painless as possible. If you have any questions about tooth removal, give our office a call today!