Here Are Some Reasons and Situations Where Dental Extraction May Be Necessary

Simple and surgical tooth extractions are standard in dentistry when it is determined that a tooth cannot be saved or needs to be removed to avoid further oral health complications. When you visit BLUSH Dental Studio in East Point, Georgia, Dr. Kisha Carter and Dr. Jaime Kim will determine if extraction is necessary and educate you on why this decision is being made. While saving your teeth is the topmost priority, extraction sometimes is the only viable option.

Here are some situations where extraction may be necessary, including dental emergencies.

Impaction

When a growing tooth begins to push directly into an adjacent tooth, this is considered impaction. When a tooth becomes impacted, it will be susceptible to issues such as infection. It can also lead to swollen, tender, or bleeding gums. Patients who see their dentist for an impacted tooth often report symptoms, including pain (sometimes severe) and swelling in the jaw area. You may also experience difficulty in opening your mouth. The most common culprit for impaction is wisdom teeth which have not been removed.

Your wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that often will not have enough room to properly erupt through the gums. When there is not enough room for these wisdom teeth to grow upright, they will instead grow inward, pushing into existing teeth. This is why so many people have to get their wisdom teeth extracted. At BLUSH Dental Studio, we typically refer impacted wisdom teeth extractions to our oral surgery partners.

Tooth Decay

Dental decay is caused when tartar and plaque are allowed to build up, and the resulting acids eat away at the enamel of your teeth. When enamel wear occurs, your tooth is significantly weakened and will become brittle over time. Infection can develop if decay is allowed to progress to a certain extent. This will often result in pain and inflammation. While your dentist will look into all other options before considering dental extraction, it may end up being the only option left. When a tooth is extracted, you should then discuss available tooth replacement options like a dental bridge or implant.

Gum Disease

Gum disease and periodontal disease are very much like dental decay and are often a result of an unchecked buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth and along the gumline. While there are several dental health conditions that can develop in the gums and the tooth’s supporting bone structure, the most common are periodontitis (inflammation of tissue and bone that surrounds your teeth) and gingivitis (the inflammation of your gums).

If the gums and bone around a tooth are allowed to deteriorate to a certain point, it may become necessary to have that tooth extracted and for a tooth replacement, such as a bridge or implant, to be put in place to preserve surrounding teeth.

Trauma

When you are in an accident, your teeth are often susceptible to damage. Maybe you took a stray baseball to the face while at bat, or you took trauma to the face during an automobile accident. Accidents can wreak havoc on your teeth. While your dentist will do everything they can to save your tooth, sometimes it may be damaged beyond repair. If this is the case, and the tooth is still in place, it may need to be extracted as a part of the initial healing and recovery process. Damaged teeth are prone to infection when not removed, so making the decision to extract them should not be taken lightly.

To schedule an appointment at BLUSH Dental Studio, please call our East Point, GA office today at (404) 595-5104.