While it may seem obvious to say that it’s important to keep our natural teeth, sometimes the reasons behind it are not so obvious. There are cases where teeth are so far decayed that they are not salvageable and a tooth extraction is necessary. Here are Dr. Lawhon’s office, we are here to inform you of the best scenarios for an extraction as well as how that extraction affects the other teeth in your mouth.
What’s So Great About Our Natural Teeth?
To know why we need our natural teeth, it’s vital to know how one tooth affects the surrounding teeth. The teeth on either side of an extracted tooth may start to angle in on the gap, which can cause problems with your bite. When multiple teeth are extracted, biting and chewing can become a challenge. Your opposing teeth (upper or lower) are affected because they is no longer anything for them to bite against. This can cause an unpleasant process known as supraeruption.
When To Extract A Tooth
1. When a tooth is decayed beyond repair, it’s got to go. There may not be enough of the tooth left to support the filling or crown, so it would be a waste of time to fix it.
2. When the mouth is too crowded, it’s best to re-align the teeth.
3. When the tooth is cracked down to the root, there is no way or restoring it or performing root canal therapy successfully.
4. When a tooth is badly decayed or damaged, bacteria can build up and cause an infection.
5. When teeth are not useful (ie wisdom teeth), there is no reason to save them. Extraction is the sensible option.
If you or someone you know is in need or a tooth extraction procedure in the Florence or surrounding area, please contact the office at 843 .669 .7044.