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When Tooth Extractions Become Necessary

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When Tooth Extractions Become Necessary

Practicing good oral hygiene and having your regular dental check-ups and cleanings decreases your chances of tooth extractions, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Accidents and trauma come unexpectedly and can cause unexpected results. Some health conditions can also endanger the strength and composition of your teeth. Tooth decay or periodontal disease can strike anyone, so it is important to do all you can to prevent both. These conditions can lead to tooth extractions. Learn how you can keep your teeth and keep them healthy!

Tooth Decay and Fixes for It

Tooth decay is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases amongst adults and children. You may also know tooth decay by it’s other terms of “cavities” and “dental caries”. You may not have thought about cavities as a chronic disease, but with the damage it does and the amount of people it affects, it is one! How does tooth decay happen though? You were probably taught that brushing and flossing your teeth is important. Brushing and flossing are vital for avoiding tooth decay, as the gunk that cakes your teeth each day is what slowly erodes your teeth.

When you eat, sugars in the foods and drinks you consume mix with bacteria in your mouth. Some bacteria helps you break down food for digestion. However, other bacteria works with sugar to erode away your hard tooth enamel. The substance these two ingredients make is plaque—a sticky, acidic film that coats your teeth. You may even be able to see this film if you have eaten recently. Even though your tooth enamel is hard, over time, this plaque can wear away the enamel. Plaque can cause cavities on your tooth surface, and severe tooth decay if it gets inside your tooth. For small cavities, a cavity filling is sufficient to fix the problem. If a cavity is large, a root canal is our last option for fixing it before a tooth extraction is necessary.

Endodontics as a Last-Ditch Effort

When tooth decay has become severe, we can fix it for many patients through a root canal. Root canal treatment (also known as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is made necessary when an untreated cavity reaches all the way to your tooth pulp. The pulp of your tooth is the soft center that houses the nerves and blood vessels of your tooth. Once the pulp becomes infected, it can begin to eat away at the surrounding bone (known as an abscess). If the pulp is infected, not only is it painful, but it will require treatment as it can’t heal on its own. If your tooth is severely infected, you will have a sensitivity to hot or cold, pain, swelling, pain when biting or with pressure, or even a bad taste in your mouth.

If this is the case, we will try to perform a root canal to save your tooth. We perform this to clean out the infected tooth pulp and to disinfect the canals of your tooth. We have to open up your tooth and remove that infection. Once we do, we then fill in the canals of your tooth to prevent any further infection. A root canal is our last-ditch effort to save your tooth from a dental extraction.

 

tooth extraction

When Tooth Extractions become Necessary

We never want to take your tooth out. However, there are cases where we need to perform tooth extractions to keep the rest of your mouth healthy. We will only take out your tooth if it is too damaged for repair. A dental emergency from an injury or infection may make tooth extractions necessary. We will take out your tooth for cases such as:

  • Severe Tooth Decay – If your tooth is too damaged or decayed for repair, our only option is to remove your tooth. When we remove your tooth, we will replace the tooth with a custom-made tooth to keep your smile intact. You never want to go without a tooth, as this will hinder your normal chewing and speaking function. For some patients, a new tooth is actually stronger than a natural tooth would be.
  • Advanced Gum Disease – Gum disease is no joke, and can make your teeth fall out. Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) is caused by plaque. Plaque erodes your teeth but also attacks your gums, making them red, swollen and irritated. Eventually, your gums will recede and your teeth will fall out. We may have to extract some teeth before they fall out on their own.
  • Fractured Tooth – We first try to fix a fractured or broken tooth with fillings or crowns. If the break is too large or is below the gum line, then we will have to take out the tooth.
  • Infections – We can fix some infections that reach the marrow of the tooth with a root canal. However, with later stages of infection or severe infections, tooth extractions are preferred.
  • Crowded/Crooked Teeth – People with a narrow bridge can’t fit all their adult teeth in their mouth. We remove wisdom teeth through tooth extractions so that your teeth aren’t crowded. This crowding causes all the teeth to become crooked over time. Crooked or misaligned teeth crack and break easier from the pressure of the jaw or problems with grinding (bruxism). We try other methods of correcting these problems before performing tooth extractions.

A Beautiful Smile

We do all that we can to avoid removing a tooth, but sometimes it is the best option for the health of your mouth. Even if you have tooth decay or gum disease, you can still have a beautiful smile through receiving proper dental treatment. However, brushing and flossing your teeth several times a day is the best way to avoid tooth decay and tooth extractions. For help with your dental routine and tips for keeping your teeth healthy, call Mountain Aire Dentistry today at (303) 731-7755!

 


291 E Flatiron Crossing Dr,
Broomfield, CO 80021

(303) 731-7755

 

When you visit our Broomfield dental office, your smile is our top priority. Our Dentists invite you to experience the difference a warm and caring team can provide for you and your family. Enjoy a unique and comfortable dental experience designed to bring a healthier and happier smile back into your life. We invite you to call or visit our Broomfield dental office and discover the exceptional difference we offer to those we serve.