For most concerns that involve the health and integrity of your teeth, addressing the concern typically means preserving as much healthy, natural tooth structure as possible. Doing so improves the long-term state of your oral health, and in many cases, it means avoiding the loss of the tooth. However, in severe cases, saving a tooth might not be possible, and the best thing for your oral health overall may be to extract it. After the problem is removed, we can restore your smile’s appearance, your bite’s function, and your oral health by replacing it with a custom-designed, dental implant-supported restoration.
When a tooth needs to be extracted
Extracting a tooth would be a simple solution to many different oral health concerns if you were able to regrow another one, or if the loss didn’t have such significant consequences for your smile’s appearance and your oral health. However, you won’t regrow a lost tooth, and its absence can be a negative influence on your oral health in the long run, which is why tooth extraction isn’t usually recommended unless absolutely necessary. For example, some conditions that might call for tooth extraction can include:
- Severe damage to your tooth’s structure
- A break or fracture in your tooth’s root
- An impacted third molar, or wisdom tooth
- A tooth that’s mostly eroded by tooth decay
- And more
What to consider about your smile afterward
If your tooth is compromised bad enough that tooth extraction is the best option for addressing it, then it’s important to not take the need lightly. The more severe an oral health concern is, the greater the impact it will have on your oral health if you hesitate to extract the tooth. However, it’s important to consider what tooth extraction can mean for your smile afterward, and the need to address any additional concerns resulting from your tooth’s situation. To address the potential consequences of losing the tooth, we can suggest replacing the tooth as soon as possible, preferably with a dental implant and crown.
Why replacing the tooth matters
If tooth extraction is necessary, then replacing the tooth afterward may be, as well. With the exception of impacted wisdom teeth, which often cause problems because of inadequate space on your dental ridge, most other extracted teeth play important roles in your proper bite function and balance. Replacing the tooth is the best way to restore this balance and function after you’ve extracted your troublesome tooth. For optimal results, we recommend planning your tooth replacement procedure as soon as possible following your tooth extraction.
Learn about tooth extraction and replacement
When a tooth is beyond saving, the best thing for your smile may be to extract it and make room for a durable, lifelike replacement. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.