What Tooth Extraction Adds to Your Smile

Our ultimate goal is to optimize your smile’s health and beauty, and usually, that means planning treatments that help you preserve your natural teeth. Sometimes, however, the best way to protect your overall oral health is to extract a tooth that poses a threat to the rest of your teeth and oral structures. Tooth extraction isn’t usually a first-choice option, but Dr. Johnson-G’Sell may recommend the procedure when no other restorative dentistry option can effectively save your tooth.

When Extraction May Be Recommended

Aside from wisdom teeth that have become impacted, some of the most common reasons for tooth extraction include extreme damage or infection to the tooth. For example, if tooth decay spreads through enough of your tooth structure, even root canal treatment might not be able to save it. If so, then extracting the tooth can be necessary to stop the decay from spreading through the root canals and into nearby tissues and jawbone structure. If a tooth is too fractured or broken for a dental crown to restore it, then Dr. Johnson-G’Sell might suggest extracting it and replacing it to restore harmony to your bite.