Many of us might experience a wisdom tooth extraction, but some of us might be wondering what happens when a normal tooth needs to be removed (also called a tooth extraction).
For those of us who have a tooth which might be broken or even damaged by tooth decay, tooth extraction may be the only option. Of course, your dentist will always try to fix whatever problems arise by being conservative with natural tooth and gum structures. In many cases that might mean treating a tooth with a filling, perhaps a crown, or some other type of conservative treatment.
However, sometimes tooth loss and tooth extraction is inevitable. Sometimes there’s simply too much damage that has occurred and the tooth can no longer be repaired. In such cases, the tooth will require extraction if it is rendered unable to be saved.
Tooth extraction most often comes as a result of tooth decay, injury or emergency, or sometimes when a person has extra teeth that impede other teeth from coming in. Baby teeth might not always fall out in time for the arrival of the adult teeth, for instance.
Patients who opt for braces might need to have teeth extracted as teeth rearrange in the mouth to create a healthier, more symmetrical bite (and appearance).
Sometimes tooth extraction occurs due to other issues, for instance if teeth have become infected after an organ transplant operation due to the high risk of infection and lowered immune system that comes as a result.
If a tooth extraction procedure is deemed necessary, then it will fall under one of 2 types of extraction procedures.
There’s the simple extraction, which is performed on visible teeth that have already grown into place. This is a simple procedure that even general dentists can do — hence the name. The dentist will loosen the tooth with a specialized instrument (in this case called an elevator). The the dentist then uses forceps for tooth removal.
The other kind is called a surgical extraction, which is obviously going to be the more complex procedure. This method will be used when the tooth has been broken at the gum line or when the tooth has not yet fully erupted. Surgical extractions need to be performed by oral surgeons, endodontists like New York City Endodontics. During this procedure the dentist will make a small incision into the gum. Sometimes bone will need to be removed to facilitate the process, and sometimes the tooth will need to be cut into sections for easier removal.
If you have any additional questions about the tooth extraction procedure, contact New York City Endodontics today. We’ll go over all of the details during your initial consultation. Together, we’ll set you on the path to oral health wellness.