When you have an infected tooth causing you immense pain or the tooth seems like it is too far gone, you may believe the only option is to extract it. However, pulling the tooth may not be the only option. Saving a tooth has many benefits as opposed to extracting it. Before you make a decision, be sure to think about the following questions.
Why Should You Consider Saving a Tooth?
Saving a natural tooth has so many benefits. First off, a natural tooth is often stronger than an artificial tooth. A natural tooth also functions better than an artificial tooth. Even though the technology in dentistry is highly advanced and artificial teeth are better than they have ever been, a natural tooth is almost always better when the tooth is healthy.
Another benefit to keeping a natural tooth is to prevent shifting. When you pull a natural tooth and don’t replace the tooth with an artificial tooth, the surrounding teeth will begin to shift. As teeth shift, they can impact your bite and cause issues with the ability to chew. You could even lose more of your permanent teeth.
Natural teeth also often look better when they are healthy. As a dentist pulls natural teeth, the appearance of the jaw will change. The surrounding jawbone will start to collapse as the roots that support the bone begin to deteriorate. Your facial appearance can change and may even cause you to appear older than you are.
Maintaining your natural teeth also lends to confidence. When a removed tooth is in the front area of your mouth, it can cause you to avoid smiling and lose confidence. If you can save a tooth, especially in the front, you can often remain confident rather than self-conscious about your smile.
When a dentist pulls your tooth, you may also experience more pain than you would if the tooth is saved. You could also experience an infection in the area. When you save the tooth, you can better manage all potential signs of infection.
When Should You Extract a Tooth?
You always have reasons why you should do all you can to save your natural teeth for as long as possible. However, some instances happen where you have no choice but to extract the tooth. In some cases, a root canal cannot save a tooth, even when the dentist cleans out the interior as much as possible.
When a tooth has a crack or is broken down to the gumline, the dentist may not be able to save the tooth. In these cases, extraction is likely the best option. These teeth are often too weak to build up with composite or cannot adhere to a crown. You can always request the dentist try a root canal, but in some cases, the procedure will not help.
How Do You Replace an Extracted Tooth?
If you need to have an extraction, you have some options to replace the tooth. You can opt for a dental implant. This is a surgical procedure that adheres a permanent crown to the implant. This option offers the strongest tooth replacement and is the closest option you have to a natural tooth.
You can also opt for a bridge, which is a set of teeth that go onto the natural teeth with a full replacement tooth that takes up the space of the missing tooth. No matter which option you choose, be sure to consider the pros and cons of each.
If you have any questions about tooth extraction, please contact us at
Eastland Dental Center & Professional Dental Care today.
