Could your serious dental issues be resolved through these restorative dental options?
While the idea of having a tooth removed may sound a bit distressing, this treatment may be necessary if you are dealing with a severely infected or damaged tooth. Sometimes decay can go ignored, particularly if you aren’t visiting our Ellicott City, MD, dentist, Dr. Chetna Desai, every six months for routine exams. Decay, gum disease and other conditions will only get worse if left untreated. As a result, teeth may become damaged and need to be removed.
Why might I need a tooth extraction?
There are a couple scenarios in which our Ellicott City general dentist might recommend removing a tooth. As we mentioned above, it might be that the tooth has become so severely damaged by decay that it can’t be fixed. Maybe the tooth has a crack that extends below the gum line, which is impossible to treat. Other times, an infection has ravaged the inside of the tooth and left the tooth beyond repair.
If you have severe gum disease and haven’t gotten the treatment you deserve, this can also cause teeth to become loose.
Also, once wisdom teeth start to erupt they could become impacted or cause damage to neighboring teeth. If this is the case, these teeth will also need to be removed.
Lastly, one or two teeth may need to be removed before getting braces, particularly if you have severe crowding. This will ensure that your orthodontic treatment is more effective.
When should I consider a dental implant?
As you can see, there are many situations that warrant a tooth extraction. Of course, not all of these cases will require dental implants or other tooth replacements. If we recommend removing wisdom teeth because they will only cause issues for the rest of your smile, then we certainly don’t need to replace them. The same goes for teeth removed prior to getting braces since we are trying to make room for your teeth to be able to shift and reposition themselves.
However, if you have a damaged, loose or infected tooth that is beyond repair and needs to be removed, this is when a dental implant will come in handy. Sure, you have other options for replacing your teeth and the choice you make regarding the restoration you get is completely up to you, but if you want a restoration that will be as close as you can get to having a real tooth, then implants are certainly it.
Do you have questions about your upcoming tooth extraction? Are you ready to find out if your smile could benefit from dental implants? If so, call Desai Dental Care in Ellicott City, MD, today to sit down and talk to us about this treatment option.