When To Consider A Tooth Extraction

Posted by PCE DENTAL IMPLANT CENTER Nov 28, 2019

In dentistry, specialists like Dr. Kip Saunders (our periodontist in The Woodlands) do everything possible to help you treat, save, and preserve your natural teeth. From preventative checkups and cleanings to innovative gum disease treatments with lasers, every opportunity is taken to maintain the smile you we’re born with.

But sometimes, the best thing for your smile as a whole — and the healthy teeth you still have — is to take a tooth out. Therapeutic dental extractions are usually planned with your smile’s holistic needs in mind, and always with a long-term goal like smile reconstruction or replacing it with a dental implant.

Here are a few reasons why our periodontist may recommend a tooth extraction Conroe :

Aggressive Periodontal Disease — Expert periodontists like Dr. Saunders lead the way when it comes to treating gum disease. With state-of-the-art laser and LANAP treatments in The Woodlands, we can dramatically improve the results of soft tissue therapy. Sadly, there comes a point where teeth are so diseased that there is no longer enough bone around them to structurally support the root. Allowing the tooth to set in place only causes soreness and jeopardizes the integrity of the teeth next to it. When someone’s oral health has reached this point, we will usually recommend taking the tooth out.

Severe Pain, Cysts, or Infection — During your exam, Dr. Saunders will use X-rays to evaluate the root surfaces of your teeth and the supporting structures around them. If there is a severe abscess, large cyst, cancer, or a tumor, the associated tooth may need to be taken out. Not necessarily just because of the tooth’s location or health, but in an effort to treat the diseased area it’s associated with.

Full Mouth Reconstruction — Perhaps the best thing for your smile is to have a procedure like TeethXpress (similar to “All-on-4”) to replace all of your teeth at one time. If you’re missing most of your teeth already, then the last one or two that remain will need to be taken out before your full-arch prosthesis can be installed.

Why Should You Replace the Tooth Right Away?

Imagine taking your favorite book off of the shelf for a quick weekend getaway. When you get back a few days later, you go to set it back on the shelf…but its space isn’t there anymore. Rather, the books adjacent to its “spot” have slid over or tilted, because of the extra room on the shelf.

Your smile isn’t any different. If we take a tooth out and let the area be, it’s only a matter of time before your other teeth start to drift out of alignment. Even your opposing teeth can start to move!

Preserving natural biting patterns and tooth spacing is essential. That’s why Dr. Saunders recommends replacing your missing tooth with something like a dental implant as quickly after your extraction as possible.