With some industries suffering from dishonest sales practices, sometimes it can be difficult to trust someone who offers any kind of service for money. Are they trying to upsell you or get you to spend money on something you don’t really need? When your dentist says you need to have a tooth removed, you may question whether it’s truly necessary. Fortunately, your dentist isn’t keeping secrets! Below you’ll find several potential reasons that they may recommend a tooth extraction for your smile.
Severe Tooth Decay or Injury
As long as your tooth has enough healthy structure, your dentist will do everything they can to save it. Thanks to root canal treatment and durable crowns, many teeth can be repaired and preserved. However, if a cavity or crack has reached below the gumline, the tooth can no longer support a crown and must be removed.
Advanced Gum Infection
Even if the tooth itself is still viable, it won’t stay in place and continue to function if you have infected and deteriorating gum and jawbone tissue that don’t properly stabilize it. Periodontal (or gum) disease is the world’s leading cause of tooth loss in adults. In fact, more than half of American adults over the age of 30 has an advanced form of this inflammatory disease, so this common reason for extraction may affect you as well.
Overcrowded Teeth
Although human adults typically have 32 permanent teeth, some develop more or have small or narrow mouths. If all teeth remain, they can become crowded, push on each other, or create tiny areas where even your dentist can struggle to keep clean. To give your teeth adequate spacing, your dentist may recommend extracting one or two teeth, allowing your remaining dentition to align correctly and enable easier daily care.
Special Circumstances
Other than these standard scenarios, you may encounter a unique situation where extraction may become necessary. For example, cancer patients sometimes lose teeth after undergoing chemotherapy, which helps eliminate malignant cells but can also attack healthy tissue. Another rare example is a patient who needs a more robust denture but still has a couple of natural teeth left. Depending on the details of the situation, the dentist may suggest removing these last teeth so that full dentures can be used instead of partial dentures.
Good News: Replacement Is Better Than Ever!
If you must undergo a tooth extraction, don’t get discouraged. Your dentist has dedicated years of training to perform safe and effective extractions; they can make sure your procedure is as comfortable as possible. Also, you don’t need to feel embarrassed about tooth loss: about 178 million American adults have at least one missing permanent tooth. After extraction, your dentist may offer solutions for replacement like dental implants, which makes your prosthetic teeth feel almost as strong and natural as the real ones did.
You don’t have to take the dentist’s recommendation without knowing the reason behind it. If you aren’t sure why extraction is the best course of action for your smile, simply ask your dentist to explain it to you. They want to earn long-term trust and strongly urge patients to prevent the need for tooth removal through prevention, but they are prepared and able to meet your needs if extraction becomes necessary.
About the Practice
At South Ridge Dental, we are truly a family practice. Brothers Dr. Ryan Shaffer and Dr. Steven Shaffer grew up in Nebraska and are happy to raise their own families in the Lincoln area, serving patients of all ages. We offer comprehensive services, including tooth extractions and implant replacement right here in our office, so you can keep working with a compassionate team you know and trust. If you have questions about treatment or recommendations, don’t hesitate to call our Lincoln dental office at 402-423-1616 or visit our Contact Us page here.