Reasons Why Teeth May Require Extraction

While permanent teeth should ideally last a lifetime, there are many reasons why one or more teeth may need to be removed from your smile. From decay to accidental fracture, teeth may sometimes need to be extracted in order to restore and preserve a patient’s oral health. Here are some of the most common reasons behind tooth extractions:

Overcrowding: For some patients, one or both of their jaw arches may be too small to accommodate all of their teeth. As a result, the teeth may be aligning improperly, which can cause secondary issues, such as jaw tension. Extracting one or two jam-packed teeth can be done as preparation for another procedure, such as braces, to help correct further correct overcrowding issues.  .

Impacted Teeth: Impacted teeth frequently occur when the wisdom teeth (third molars) fail to emerge properly through the gums. When this happens, the impacted molar can begin pushing on the surrounding teeth in an effort to break through tissue. When impacted teeth partially emerge, the flap between the gap and tooth is prone to collecting debris. As debris and bacteria collect, patients may be at risk of tooth infection. Impacted teeth require removal to prevent damage to your smile.

Tooth Infection: Extensive dental decay or damage can cause the inner pulp of the tooth to become infected. While infected or abscessed teeth may be successfully treated with root canal therapy, severely damaged teeth may be beyond saving. Under these circumstances, the abscessed tooth needs to be extracted in order to prevent the infection from spreading and to preserve the patient’s overall health.

Gum Disease: Similar to the extraction required for severely abscessed teeth, patients in advanced stages of periodontitis may need teeth extracted in order to protect the health of surrounding teeth. Additionally, deteriorated jaw volume caused by gum disease may cause teeth to become irreparably loose, requiring their extraction.

Broken or Fractured Tooth:  Damage does not always stem from infection or decay. In some cases, accidental trauma such as fracture or cracking to the tooth may require extraction. Typically, this is a result of the break being so deep that the inner pulp is left susceptible to infection.

Are You Experiencing Tooth Problems? Visit Us Today

At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery, Dr. Patel offers a number of comprehensive extraction procedures to help patients re-establish their oral health. For more information about tooth extraction, contact our Northern Virginia practice today,