Tooth Extractions

Visit North Atlanta Family Dental For Tooth Extraction In North Atlanta, GA

While your teeth are designed to be strong and resistant to all sorts of damage, they are not perfect. Even those who practice perfect oral hygiene and dental care can sometimes suffer from tooth issues, such as traumatic dental injury or needing wisdom teeth removal. In the worst case, you may need a tooth extraction to keep your teeth healthy and working as they should.

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When do I need a tooth extraction?

Surgical extractions can be necessary for a variety of reasons. Generally, the binding rule is that when a tooth is too damaged to be repaired and function correctly afterward, it may be time for tooth extraction.

While the following list is not exhaustive, the most common situations that call for dental extractions include:

Advanced Tooth Decay

If the tooth has decayed enough that it can neither support a filling nor a crown, it’s often better to extract it completely than risk further damage.

Cracked Teeth

While many cracked teeth can be repaired with a dental crown, if the crack is severe enough, it may be too damaged to repair. Generally, any cracks that shatter the tooth or break it entirely in half qualify. Teeth with cracks below the gum tissues often require removal as well since a dental crown cannot protect them from further damage.

Overcrowded Teeth

In the event of tooth crowding, it may be better for the patient to remove one or more teeth to allow for a more comfortable and natural arrangement.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

This is a very common procedure, as more than ten million wisdom teeth are removed each year. Wisdom teeth can cause overcrowding if there isn’t room for them in the patient’s mouth, or they can become impacted and cause more problems down the line.

Tooth Extraction And Tooth Replacement

If you and your dentist have determined that you need a tooth extraction, the procedure (and any subsequent procedures) can happen in several different ways. True tooth extraction involves local anesthesia, after which your dentist will pull the tooth out of its socket after loosening it from the jaw and its surrounding gum tissue. Because a local anesthetic is used, you can drive yourself home after the procedure.

However, you may need to visit an oral surgeon who can perform a surgical extraction for more complicated issues. The difference between a surgical extraction and tooth removal is the level of invasiveness present for the procedure.

Generally, for a surgical extraction, patients will require both a local anesthetic and sedation, and the surgeon will need to cut into the gums or the bone of the jaw to complete the extraction. If the tooth is impacted and unable to emerge or parts of a tooth remain below the gum line, it will usually require surgical extraction.

What happens if I don’t get a tooth extraction?

If you’ve experienced tooth decay, dental trauma, or other tooth issues, it’s always a good idea to remedy the issue in a timely fashion. If you neglect to get tooth extraction or oral surgery when it’s necessary, it can cause significant problems down the line that may be expensive to fix.

For example, when damage progresses below the gum line because of a decaying, shattered, or impacted tooth, it can result in tooth infection. Tooth infections are incredibly painful and can put the health of your mouth and the rest of your body in jeopardy. Similarly, overcrowding from impacted teeth can result in a deteriorating smile or decay in difficult-to-reach areas.

After The Extraction

Before you go in for your tooth extraction procedure, your dentist may speak to you about tooth replacement options if they are applicable. If you are removing teeth due to overcrowding or getting your wisdom teeth removed, tooth replacement may not be necessary.

Depending on your removal procedure and how many teeth were extracted, you may have several options for replacement teeth, such as bridges, implants, or dentures.

If you require a tooth extraction and need emergency dental care in Georgia, North Atlanta Family Dental is just a call away to set up your initial consultation and explore your treatment options. We have clinic in Johns Creek, GA, so make sure to choose the closest clinic to you.