The Impact of a Tooth Extraction

The ultimate goal of dental care is to preserve your natural teeth. This can sometimes be a challenge, as tooth decay is common and injuries can occur threatening the health of your teeth. In many cases teeth can be repaired with a variety of dental procedures from restorative treatments (E.g fillings , crowns or bridge and others) to endodontic treatments (E.g root canal treatment, root canal retreatment, root surgery and others) 

Patients often want to know if they can have a tooth extracted rather than trying to save it. There may be any number of reasons for this inquiry, from the cost of procedures to dental anxiety. But if the tooth can be saved it is in your best interest to have a tooth endodontically treated rather than extracted.

What To Expect From a Tooth Extraction Procedure

When it comes to having a tooth extracted, the procedure is relatively simple. Local anesthesia is used to numb the nerves in the area of the mouth where the tooth is being removed. The tooth is gently loosened from the socket and removed. If needed, a few sutures may be used to close the gum tissue over the socket in order to control bleeding and promote healing. 

What To Expect After Having a Tooth Extracted

After having a tooth extracted you will have a short recovery period. You’ll need to eat soft foods and avoid chewing or brushing in the area of your extraction. You may have some mild tenderness that can typically be managed with over the counter pain medication. 

You will also need to make plans to have the tooth replaced. If you leave the space empty, it allows the other teeth to shift out of place, resulting in orthodontic misalignment. Replacement options include dental bridges and dental implants. 

Benefits of Endodontic Treatment vs Dental Extraction 

If your tooth can be treated endodontically  rather than extracted, there are a variety of benefits that come from choosing treatment, such as:

• Preserving Natural Function: it is one of the primary benefits of saving a tooth. Teeth play a vital role in biting, chewing, and speaking, allowing you to enjoy a wide range of foods and maintain proper nutrition. By saving a tooth  you can retain the natural harmony of your bite and avoid affecting other teeth with in function. 

• Preserve or repair your natural bone structure. Extracting a tooth can lead to the loss of jawbone density over time. The roots of teeth stimulate the surrounding bone, preventing bone loss. By saving a tooth, you preserve the natural stimulation, helping maintain the integrity of the jawbone and preventing potential facial changes.
• Avoid costly dental prosthetics. Dental prosthetics can be costly from bridges to dental implants.  In the case of a bridge, it  will involve the need of removing healthy tooth structure or expose the tooth to damage its nerve / pulp requiring additional cost to the treatment. 
• Save time. Most of the time, a tooth can be treated with a single  visit procedure, whereas an extraction and replacement will require multiple appointments over the course of a few weeks or months. 

Endodontics Offers Tooth-Saving Procedures 

An endodontist specializes in restoring the health of the teeth from the inside, where the dental pulp resides in the root canal. Dental pulp is a soft tissue at the center of each tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves endings. It is susceptible to infection if bacteria invades the root canal, such as  through a deep cavity or a crack line in a tooth. The pulp can also be damaged due to a dental injury, causing internal damage to the tooth. 

Endodontic treatment, such as a root canal treatment, can often save a tooth that is infected or at risk. This procedure can provide you the benefit of preserving your natural tooth. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Extraction 

Why does an extracted tooth need to be replaced? 

If a permanent tooth is extracted it leaves an empty space in your mouth. Over time the other teeth may drift into the open space, causing misalignment of the other teeth in the same arch. This may lead to bite misalignment and potential damage to your remaining teeth. It is best to replace the tooth with a dental prosthetic to preserve function and placement of your teeth, as well as your smile. 

How does endodontic treatment save a tooth? 

In the case of a root canal, the damaged or injured dental pulp is removed from the tooth and replaced with biocompatible materials. This can eliminate an infection within a tooth or prevent an infection from developing. Other endodontic procedures save teeth in similar ways, but through different techniques depending on your needs. 

Why Choose Advanced Endodontics?

If you have a tooth that is at risk of needing to be extracted, Advanced Endodontics may be able to save it. After a brief evaluation we can assess the condition of the tooth and determine if treatment would be effective using our most advanced technology available in the specialty. 

Contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.