Extraction: When Is It Necessary?

Here at Townsville Dentists, pulling a tooth is always our last resort. We aim to keep all of our patients with a shiny set of perfect teeth, so it’s always a disappointment when extraction becomes necessary. Tooth extraction is often an intimidating prospect for the patient and may lead to more extensive dental work. However, there are some circumstances in which taking a tooth out is the best possible course of action.

Why Are Teeth Extracted?

In the vast majority of cases, teeth are extracted because it has become too damaged for it to be saved. This may be because of a deep cavity that has gone too far into the tooth for a filling to be possible. When a cavity is in the early stages of decay, a simple filling can prevent it from spreading and save the tooth. However, after a certain amount of decay has progressed, the damage is too extensive for a filling to hold the tooth together effectively. If the decay reaches the centre of the tooth, bacteria can easily seep into the pulp, causing infection, pain and illness. Root canal is sometimes an effective option in treating the infection and saving the tooth, but severe decay may go to deep. In this case, a simple extraction will most likely be performed.

Gum disease can also cause a tooth to become a candidate for extraction. When the gum is diseased, it doesn’t support the teeth as well, causing looseness and potential infection. Extraction of a tooth is sometimes effective in preventing the spread of infection in the mouth. Maintaining the health of your gums is crucial in order to prevent this possibility from taking place.

In some cases, we see patients who have an overcrowding of teeth in their mouth. Cosmetically speaking, overcrowding can be treated with orthodontic care like braces or retainers, but extraction of some of the teeth can be a useful tool in creating more space before orthodontic treatment begins.

One of the most common examples of tooth extraction, particularly in younger people, is wisdom teeth removal. These teeth are the last to erupt, usually during your teenage years and they’re prone to becoming impacted or growing in at an odd angle. This can cause overcrowding and infection, so young people often choose to have these teeth removed in order to prevent dental problems in the future. The removal process may be daunting, but it is usually relatively simple to perform and quick to heal.