Adult teeth are supposed to last your whole life, it doesn’t always work out that you get to keep them. Over time, teeth can become decayed or damaged due to poor oral hygiene, disease and injury. In many cases, teeth and gums can be repaired with fillings, crowns and antibiotics. However, sometimes these interventions aren’t enough, and a tooth must be extracted.
When is a tooth extraction recommended?
Most dentists will do their best to save your natural teeth, but this isn’t always possible. A tooth extraction may be required in the following situations:
Severe dental decay. If the decay to a tooth is relatively minor, a dentist can usually repair it using a filling, root canal or crown. However, if the tooth decay is more severe, an extraction may be needed.
Advanced periodontal disease. Gum disease attacks the structures that support your teeth. Once the gums have receded too far, your teeth will have nothing to support them and be more likely to fall out or require extraction.
Impacted wisdom teeth. Some people simply don’t have enough room in their jaws for their third molars. When this happens, the teeth can become impacted or grow in sideways, and can potentially crowd your other teeth. Extraction is often recommended in this case as a means to preserve the surrounding teeth.
Emergency tooth extraction
In some cases, an emergency tooth extraction is necessary. Here’s when immediate action may be required:
Injury. If you’re in an accident or get injured while playing sports one of your teeth might get fractured to the point that it can’t be repaired. In this case, your dentist will likely suggest an emergency tooth extraction.
Severe infection. In the early stages, there are many ways to treat an infection in your mouth. However, if you delay treatment for too long, simple antibiotics may not be enough. In this case, the only way to eliminate the infection may be to remove the tooth altogether.
Treatment doesn’t end after extraction
In most cases, your dentist will recommend a dental implant or partial denture to fill the spot where your teeth were extracted. This is because if a gap isn’t filled in, your other teeth may begin to shift, causing a whole host of other dental issues.
Emergency Dental Care in Calgary
If you suspect that you require an emergency tooth extraction, don’t delay. Forest Lawn Dental Centre always makes sure there are walk-in appointments available during the day for people needing the immediate care of an emergency dentist. Contact us today if you need to make an appointment.