Teeth Extractions

Our dental office works hard to keep your teeth healthy and prevent common ailments through regular cleanings, semi-annual checkups, and digital x-rays

Sometimes the way to maintain this level of health is to extract an infected or cracked tooth. This is recommended when leaving the tooth could create a health risk to surrounding teeth or to the patient.

Decayed or Infected Teeth

When teeth are decayed, the decay is removed and the tooth is repaired with either a tooth-colored filling or ceramic crown. When there is advanced decay or an infection involving the nerve of the tooth, the tooth can either be saved with a root canal or removed and replaced with an implant or bridge.

Broken or Chipped Teeth

Our approach with broken or chipped teeth is very similar. When possible, we fill or crown the tooth to keep the structural and functional integrity of the tooth intact. This is effective for smaller cavities and fractures, but it is not always possible for large ones.

If a tooth breaks or cracks below the gum line, a filling or crown may not be the best solution. The tooth structure could be unstable, and the interior of the tooth may be exposed to bacteria that can potentially lead to an infection. The same is true if a fracture runs too deep.

In these cases, removing the tooth is recommended as it is much safer than leaving an infected or damaged tooth in the mouth that can make it difficult to function.

Impacted Teeth

Not all mouths are created equal. While most of us are genetically programmed to have 32 teeth, we may not all have the same amount of space for those teeth. If a jaw is too small, teeth that don’t have proper room to grow can erupt twisted or sideways. These teeth may even be prevented from coming in at all.

This can cause a number of alignment and functional issues as we grow.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are some of the most commonly removed teeth. Although we always strive to keep all of our teeth, many teenagers and adults are recommended to have these teeth removed before they can create alignment or hygiene issues in the future.

As discussed above, impacted teeth can cause a number of dental hygiene or orthodontic problems to the rest of the teeth. For some patients, wisdom teeth can become impacted, and ideally, these should be removed.

Talk to Us About Options When Extracting Teeth

Our office is dedicated to giving you quality dental care and keeping not only your teeth but your whole body in optimal health. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to set up an appointment.