Signs and Symptoms I Need to Extract a Tooth?

Signs and Symptoms I Need to Extract a Tooth?

One of the worst things you can do is wait to remove a bad tooth. A decayed or damaged tooth can be excruciating, but then it gets better. You know it has to be removed, but you choose to ignore it. The pain is gone now anyway. In the past, many people believed in keeping it until it fell out. The exact opposite is true these days. If your tooth needs to be pulled because of gum disease, your problem will only get worse. Your tooth will cause the surrounding bone to dissolve. Your tooth becomes loose and eventually falls out. All that time you spent waiting caused your good bone, which would have supported a dental implant, to dissolve. Dental implants require adequate bone support. Waiting too long to pull a tooth will only compromise the jaw bone. This will make restorative treatments more difficult and expensive than they need to be. So, how do you know it's time to extract a tooth? Here are some of the common signs and symptoms you need to watch out for:
 

 

  • Tooth Pain

    •  A painful tooth doesn't necessarily mean you need to get dental extraction. The discomfort could be due to cavities or sensitive teeth. But there are cases when it is necessary. Your dentist may recommend extraction if you still experience tooth pain after getting a dental filling, crown, or root canal. Other times, your tooth needs to be pulled if it's too severely damaged or has become infected or abscessed. 

 

  • Gum Disease 

    • ​​​​​​​Healthy gums are supposed to be pink and firm. They shouldn't bleed when you touch or brush them and ought to hold your teeth securely in place. Most cases of gum disease don't require tooth removal. Extraction is only necessary if the infection is so advanced that it's crucial to stop the spread of the infection and preserve adjacent dentition. Your dentist may recommend extraction if your tooth is infected or abscessed, or loose and not supported. They will also consider removing the affected tooth if the infection is spreading to your other teeth, jaw bone, or soft tissues. 

 

  • Crowding or Misalignment

    •  Some patients develop teeth that are larger than their jaw or are born with a smaller jaw. If you have this problem, your teeth will not fit correctly in your mouth. So, they overlap, twist, or become crooked. The displacement can result in pain, tooth decay, gum disease, or difficulty in chewing. By removing a tooth or two, you can create more space in your mouth, allowing the rest of your teeth to occupy a healthy position. Misaligned teeth are often fixed with orthodontic treatments, such as braces. For these dental appliances to work correctly, you may need to provide more room in your mouth for your teeth to shift into a better position. In this case, tooth extraction may also be ideal.


 

Other indicators that you may need extraction are if you suffer from impacted wisdom teeth or severe tooth decay. Your teeth can suffer a fracture due to trauma. If your tooth has broken off below your gum line, the viable alternative left for your dentist will be the surgical removal of the remaining parts. 

 



Have you been experiencing continuous or severe pain in your jaw or gums? This is a warning that you may have an infection. Visit Castro Valley Dentistry today in Castro Valley, California. You can also give us a call at (510) 582-7122 to schedule an appointment.

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