For many people, most of their smile preservation efforts involve taking steps to preserve their healthy, natural tooth structure. Even if an oral health concern develops and threatens your teeth, seeking treatment for it as soon as possible can help you maintain your goal of retaining your healthy, natural teeth. However, some people may not be able to successfully preserve all of their natural teeth, and in some cases, the threat can best be resolved by extracting a tooth that’s become severely compromised.
Why it’s really necessary
When people are told they need tooth extraction, some may wonder if the procedure is really necessary, or just more convenient than restoring the tooth. It’s important to consider the implications of extracting a tooth; after your treatment, all of the tooth’s natural structure will no longer remain. This means the rest of your teeth and oral health will respond to the loss, which could prove even more threatening to your smile over time. Given these implications, your dentist will only recommend extracting a tooth if it’s necessary for minimizing its immediate threat to the rest of your oral health.
Why it’s the only option
Tooth extraction being necessary means that tooth restoration isn’t a viable option. Typically, it’s preferable to save your natural tooth structure, which means a recommendation for tooth extraction only comes after all other possibilities have been considered. The extreme state of a tooth that needs to be extracted can make the tooth a threat to the rest of your oral health and bite function in multiple ways. Attempting to restore it could prolong this threat and increase your risks of needing more extensive treatment to restore your smile after the tooth is extracted or lost on its own.
Why it’s just the first step
The fact that a tooth has to be extracted doesn’t mean that you have to choose between the consequences of tooth loss or the threat of ignoring the tooth. On the contrary, extracting a tooth is often just the first step in fully restoring your smile, which can include replacing the tooth as soon as possible with a dental implant and crown. The effects of tooth loss stem from the loss of your tooth’s natural crown and root structure. With a dental implant, we can replace both parts of this structure, utilizing a biocompatible post to provide a root-like anchor for your custom-made replacement crown.
Learn more about tooth extraction
There’s more to tooth extraction than you might realize, including why it’s important to your smile and why it shouldn’t be the end of your smile restoration plan. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us by calling Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park and all surrounding communities.
