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ORAL SURGERY & PERIODONTICS BLOG

The Latest on Dental Health, Dental Implants, Periodontics, Oral Surgery and More

When Removing A Tooth Is Good For You

We have a lot of sports fans who come to our office. Regardless of who they root for, we think they all agree that certain players are not worth having on their favorite team.

We aren’t talking about any specific individual. Instead, we mean players who disrupt team unity, players who cause problems, and players who generally have a negative impact on the team in spite of whatever talents they may have.

At North Shore Smile Surgery, we deal with similar situations that affect our patients’ oral health. Sometimes you have a tooth or teeth that are no longer helping, teeth that are in the way of progress, or worse, teeth that create a risk for more widespread oral health issues.

That’s also why we encourage you to contact our dentist office in Buffalo Grove, IL, if you need teeth removed.

When Extractions Are Your Best Option

Dentists are in the business of saving teeth. That’s why they do dental fillings and root canal treatments.

But sometimes, you have to remove bad teeth in order to save the rest. Here are some of the reasons you may need to get rid of one or more of your teeth:

◼︎ To Remove An Infection

To be honest, this is the worst-case scenario from tooth decay or gum disease.

With tooth decay, you can save your tooth with a dental filling if you act early. If you wait until the tooth becomes infected, that’s when you may need a root canal treatment.

But if for some reason, you don’t go to the dentist when you start to experience the symptoms of an infected tooth, then the infection can damage your tooth to a point where it can’t be saved.

Gum disease can cause similar problems. The difference is instead of attacking your tooth from the top, gum disease attacks your tooth from below the gumline.

Regardless of the original point of attack, a tooth infection has the potential to spread to other parts of your mouth. Removing the tooth may be the best way of stopping it

◼︎ To Deal With A Tooth That Is Severely Damaged

Injuries and accidents happen every day. Some of these accidents involve injuries to the face, and some of these result in injuries to teeth.

A broken or cracked tooth can sometimes be repaired with dental bonding or a dental crown. In other cases, the only real option is to remove the injured tooth.

The option that is best for you will depend on the severity of the injury. A deep break or deep crack can expose the tooth to an infection. Rather than risk long-term issues, removing the tooth may be the safest option.

◼︎ To Prepare For Orthodontic Treatment

Millions of Americans are either going through or preparing for orthodontic treatment at any time. While we don’t do orthodontics in our office, you may need to visit us as part of your preparation for that treatment.

One of the reasons many people need braces or other treatments is a direct result of overcrowding in their mouths. To put it bluntly, your teeth won’t come in right if you don’t have enough room in your jaw for them to fit. In those situations, straightening your teeth may not be possible until to open up some space in your mouth.

We can remove teeth that are the biggest obstacles to your orthodontic care. This greatly increases the likelihood that your treatment will be successful.

◼︎ To Prevent Long-Term Problems

One of or possibly the best example of this is our wisdom teeth. Experts estimate that somewhere between 75 and 85 percent of humans will need their wisdom teeth removed.

Most of us have jaws that are too small for our wisdom teeth to erupt correctly. That won’t stop your wisdom teeth from trying to force their way into your mouth, however.

That can lead to some of the problems we mentioned above, like overcrowding or an increased risk of oral infections.

Since your wisdom teeth typically erupt in your late teens or early 20s, they can undo the effects of orthodontic treatment if these latecomers start pushing into your existing teeth.

Here From Start To Finish

If you should need one or more teeth extracted, our team at North Shore Smile Surgery will be here for you before, during, and after your procedure.

We will advise you on what to do during your recovery, and we will respond if you experience any complications.

To learn more or to talk to our dentist about possible extraction procedures, call 847-276-2500 or fill out our online form to request an appointment at our office in Buffalo Grove, IL.

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