Extractions

It is always a sad moment when a tooth needs to be removed, but unfortunately it is a necessary evil to help keep your mouth healthy and pain-free. There are many reasons why a tooth might need to be removed, but the more common ones are infection or lack of space (such is the case with wisdom teeth).

When bacteria infect the pulp chamber of the tooth, there are two treatment options: root canal therapy or extraction. Root canal therapy will always be our preferred option, mainly because no dental material is as good as our natural teeth. However, if the tooth cannot be sealed after the root canal therapy, it will become re-infected and extraction is inevitable.

One important thing to remember is when a tooth is extracted, much like taking a book off a bookshelf, the other teeth around it will tip and shift. Eventually they find a new equilibrium but it may limit how that gap is filled in the future. In addition, the bone in that area will be resorbed by the body, which can affect aesthetics as well as implant placement. So make sure to talk to your dentist about how you plan on replacing your lost tooth in the future.