Tooth Removal.

An extraction is the process of removing a tooth from your mouth.

Once a tooth is removed there is no going back, so it is important to consider the alternatives to an extraction and what you intend to do with the space after the tooth is out.

Although saving your teeth is always desired, there are cases when teeth need to be removed. The reasons include trauma, disease, and crowding in the mouth.

When a tooth is too damaged and cannot be repaired using a crown or filling, an extraction may be the best option.

Teeth that aren't supported by enough bone because of periodontal disease may also need to be removed as well as infected (abscessed) teeth that don't respond to root canal treatment.

It's also common for an orthodontist to recommend extraction of some teeth before braces to help relieve the crowding.

Similarly, wisdom teeth are frequently extracted because they may be impacted or do not have adequate room to fully erupt into the mouth and can cause issues for you.

SIMPLE EXTRACTION. This is where the dentist is able to remove the tooth in a single piece- that is the whole tooth, the crown and all of the roots. This is by far the most common extraction procedure.

SURGICAL EXTRACTION. If the tooth to be removed is particularly difficult, then a surgical approach may be needed. This is the case, if the tooth either hasn’t come fully through the gum yet or has broken off below the gum line and the dentist can’t remove it by normal methods. The procedure involves raising your gum to expose the tooth or roots and bone holding in your tooth. Some of this bone may also need to be carefully removed to allow the dentist to lever out the tooth or root fragment. Once the tooth is out the gum flap will then need to be replaced and held together by stitches to allow healing.

The dentist will inform you after looking at the X-ray and examining your mouth, which approach is most likely and the anticipated cost of the extraction.

Bear in mind, that sometimes, it is not until we start the procedure that we will know the approach that is going to be necessary, and should the tooth awkwardly fracture when attempting a simple extraction, we might need to progress to a surgical extraction to remove it.