Extracting Teeth to Treat Severe Concerns


Today’s restorative dentistry treatments can help your teeth and smile recover from most concerns. If a tooth is infected with decay, a tooth filling or root canal treatment can usually save it. If the tooth has become fractured or broken, then a dental crown or other restoration can typically restore and protect it. However, there are some instances when even a custom-designed restoration can’t effectively save a tooth. If so, then extracting the tooth and replacing it may be the best option for restoring and preserving your healthy smile.

When is tooth extraction appropriate?

Tooth extraction isn’t usually a first-choice treatment option for most dental concerns. However, failure to treat a tooth concern or the failure of a previously placed restoration could place a tooth at serious risk. Some common reasons for recommending tooth extraction include:

  • Severe tooth infection (when root canal treatment fails)
  • Extreme tooth damage (when a dental crown can’t save it)
  • Substantial tooth misalignment (when a tooth interferes with correcting it)
  • And more

Third molars

Often known as “wisdom teeth,” third molars usually arrive in a person’s late teens. For some patients, their arrival doesn’t affect their oral health. However, if they are growing in horizontally, they may affect your teeth’s alignment or damage nearby teeth. They could also be “impacted,” which is when a tooth doesn’t grow in, remaining beneath the bone or covered with gum tissue. This may lead to infection. In situations like these, it’s recommended that you have your third molars removed so that you can maintain good oral health.

What should you do next?

In many cases, extracting a tooth can help save your smile from the consequences of severe tooth condition. However, it also means losing a tooth, which can have a different set of consequences for your oral health if not addressed. Therefore, we may suggest replacing the tooth when recommending tooth extraction, preferably as soon as possible. For example, after removing the compromised tooth structure from your dental ridge, a dental implant and crown can replace the tooth’s root and natural crown. This not only fills the gap in your smile, but also the root that rested within (and stimulated) your jawbone.

Call us to learn if you need tooth extraction

When it becomes necessary, tooth extraction could be the first step to fully restoring your optimal oral health, bite function, and smile’s appearance. To schedule a consultation with us, call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park, South KC, South OP, Martin City, MO, and all surrounding communities.