General Dentistry: When to Pull a Tooth

Tooth pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a general dentistry clinic, where they may receive a filling or other type of repair for a damaged or decayed tooth. However, in some cases, the tooth in question may be too far gone, and extraction is necessary. While this may be distressing for the patient, pulling a tooth could protect the surrounding teeth and gums, and there are several signs dentists watch for before they proceed.

When is a dental visit for tooth pain necessary?

Tooth pain is quite uncomfortable and usually does not go away on its own. It may also cause a variety of problems for those who suffer from it, including:

• Pain while chewing or speaking
• Bleeding during or after brushing
• Noticeable tooth fragments breaking off

A general dentistry clinic can help individuals with these issues by performing an initial exam that includes X-rays and by identifying which tooth needs attention and, in some cases, may need extraction due to several possible causes.

Extreme decay

When a tooth becomes severely decayed, the surrounding area may be damaged enough that a filling is no longer an option. For example, this may occur when a large cavity has formed, or the tooth pulp becomes infected and causes extreme pain. In this case, a dentist may have no choice but to pull the tooth before it starts to affect the surrounding teeth and gums.

Damage

A tooth may get damaged during a fall, a sports injury, or from a blow to the mouth. If a tooth is badly fractured, repairing it may not be possible. In some cases, part of the tooth may remain in the jaw while the rest detaches, and in this case, pulling the remainder of the tooth is often the ideal option for the patient's oral health.

Impacted teeth

A general dentistry clinic can perform in-depth exams to discover whether a tooth or teeth have become impacted. The teeth cannot break through the gums when this occurs and usually become painful. Those with impacted teeth may have problems chewing and experience consistent jaw pain. In most cases, dentists must extract these teeth before they affect the alignment of normal teeth.

Limited space in the mouth

When wisdom teeth or rear molars erupt, they may crowd the mouth and put pressure on existing teeth. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it may also cause surrounding teeth to become crooked. Therefore, extracting wisdom teeth is a common practice, especially if they grow in decayed or at the wrong angle. While some people experience no issues with their wisdom teeth, those who begin to feel pain and pressure once they erupt may have to have them pulled to avoid future complications.