5 Dental Problems That Can Lead to Tooth Extractions

There are a number of reasons you may need to have a tooth extracted. The following is a look at five of the common dental problems that can lead to a tooth extraction:

1. A tooth is beyond repair.

A dentist is going to do their best to keep teeth, and repair any tooth that can be fixed. However, if the tooth is decayed and damaged to the pulp, and a root canal and antibiotics don’t fix the problem, the tooth may need to be extracted in order to prevent infection from spreading to other teeth. Any time a tooth is beyond repair, whether it is from decay, fracture, gum disease, bone loss, or something else, extraction may be necessary.

2. Not enough room.

An over-crowded mouth may warrant tooth extraction. This is particularly true if a mouth is being prepared for orthodontia. If your teeth are too big for the mouth, or there is not enough room in the mouth for teeth to break through the gums, a dentist may extract teeth. In addition, if extra teeth cause you to bite your tongue or cheek frequently, are difficult to clean, or block other teeth from erupting, they may need to be removed. This is often seen with wisdom teeth removal. The mouth may not be large enough for the wisdom teeth to come in without displacing or crowding the other teeth, and can even damage the roots of other teeth.

3. Risk of infection.

There are times when a tooth is extracted because of the risk of infection. For example, wisdom teeth are very hard to clean around, especially as many are impacted, making it more likely to get cavities, and have root and gum problems in adjacent teeth.

Additionally, if your immune system is at all compromised, such as from having an organ transplant, or chemotherapy, a tooth at risk for infection may be extracted so as to avoid damaging health.

4. Periodontal Disease

This is another name for gum disease. When the tissue and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth get infected, teeth may become loose. It may be necessary to pull the teeth in order to put in implants. Gun disease is a common problem that leads to tooth extraction.

5. The tooth is mal-positioned or non-functional

When a tooth is misaligned, does not come in completely, rubs against the tongue or cheek, causing pain, it may be removed. Teeth that are mal-positioned or not functional often cause both pain and risk for infection. For example, an impacted wisdom tooth is at greater risk for the development of cysts and tumors around it, resulting in preventative removal of teeth.