Extractions

Extractions

There are a number of reasons that your dentist might recommend a tooth extraction. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment. When a tooth is beyond repair, tooth extraction helps to sustain and preserve the health of your gums and bone. A failed tooth can be caused by an unsuccessful root canal, periodontal disease, or extensive tooth decay, in which case an extraction can bring relief. 

At Smile 4 Life Dental, we also do Wisdom Teeth Extractions.

A wisdom tooth is extracted to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may come up in the future. When wisdom teeth come in, a number of problems can occur: 

  • Your jaw may not be large enough for them, and they may become impacted and unable to break through your gums. 
  • Your wisdom teeth may break partway through your gums, causing a flap of gum tissue to grow over them. Food and germs can get trapped under the flap and cause your gums to become red, swollen, and painful. These are signs of infection. 
  • More serious problems can develop from impacted teeth, such as infection, damage to other teeth and bone, or a cyst. 
  • One or more of your wisdom teeth may come in at an awkward angle, with the top of the tooth facing forward, backward, or to either side. 

Wisdom tooth removal usually is effective in preventing:

  • Crowding of the back teeth. 
  • A wisdom tooth becoming stuck in the jaw (impacted) and never breaking through the gums. 
  • Red, swollen, and painful gums caused by a flap of skin around a wisdom tooth that has only partially come in. 
  • Gum disease and tooth decay in the wisdom tooth, which may be harder to clean than other teeth, or in the teeth and jaw in the area of the wisdom tooth.