Even though various treatments for tooth replacement exist, natural teeth are still the best teeth to have. Many people know this and get shocked when their dentists suggest a tooth extraction. However, there are good reasons why a dentist may advocate for tooth extraction. Below are some of those reasons.

Extreme Tooth Damage

Various forms of dental treatments are available for those with damaged teeth. Dental bonding and even the use of crowns and veneers can help. However, none of those treatments can help if your tooth is severely damaged. Here are a few cases that might require extraction:

• Dental trauma – say you fell while riding a bike and your tooth split vertically from the crown to the root, damaging it beyond repair.
• Periodontitis – what starts out as gum disease can progress to the point where you have no option but to extract the tooth if you don't treat it early enough.
• Tooth decay – this happens if bacteria attack your teeth and erodes the enamel with their acids.

The first option will always be to repair the natural tooth; extraction will always be a last resort. Your dentist will analyze your tooth and advise you on whether it can be saved or not.

Orthodontic Treatment

You may also need to extract your tooth as part of orthodontic treatment. Your dentist may advocate for this if your teeth are overcrowded or if you have dental misalignment due to overcrowding. In such a case, the dentist may advise you to extract a tooth to give room for the movement of the adjacent teeth. Your tooth extraction may be accompanied by other orthodontic treatments, such as dental braces.

Tooth Impaction

Sometimes, a tooth fails to erupt or only erupts halfway. The defect is common with wisdom teeth – the final set of molars. A tooth might fail to erupt above the gum line, erupt halfway through the gum line, or erupt at an angle that affects a nearby tooth.

Impacted teeth are dangerous because they are prone to inflammation and pain. They are also more susceptible to dental diseases than teeth that erupt fully. The best way to deal with an impacted tooth is to extract it. In some cases, the dentist may advise you to extract a wisdom tooth even if it is not impacted. That would be a preemptive measure to avoid the complications associated with wisdom teeth.

You should replace your tooth soon after extraction. The longer you stay with a missing tooth, the more you will experience complications such as jaw bone deterioration and dental alignment concerns. 

To learn more about dental care, contact a dental clinic in your area like Rupp and Grabowski Family Dentistry.