What Dolton, IL residents need to know about tooth extractions

You probably don’t want to think about tooth extractions and, to be honest, neither do we. Here at Pleasant Dental^® in Dolton, IL, our passion is saving and caring for teeth. Unfortunately, sometimes that just isn’t possible or practical. In those situations, we provide gentle, comfortable extractions and beautiful replacement options.

Why extractions are needed

There are alternatives to many dental procedures, but extractions typically aren’t optional. That doesn’t mean Dr. Dietrich will force you to give up your tooth. It simply means that, usually, if he recommends extraction it is because the tooth can’t be saved. Therefore, if not extracted, it will probably fall out sooner or later. Pulling it will save you a lot of pain and oral health complications.

This can happen if the tooth is severely decayed or broken and there simply isn’t enough structure left for a crown. It also happens with advanced gum disease. First, the gum tissue pulls loose from the tooth, and then it moves on to erode the bone tissue surrounding the root, essentially undermining it. Remember, in these scenarios, teeth are not lost until the advanced stages. Early cavities and gum disease can be easily treated, so don’t wait too long before you visit a dentist.

When extractions are optional

We said extraction is usually performed because the tooth can’t be saved. You might be wondering what other reason there could be. Why would you opt to have a reasonably healthy tooth pulled? The most common reason is dentures and braces. If most, but not all, of your teeth are missing or not savable, Dr. Dietrich could design partial dentures, over-dentures, or implant supported restorations. However, at this point, some patients prefer to pull all of the teeth and start fresh with a full cosmetic denture. Other reasons for optional extractions include crowding or impacted teeth. In some cases, extraction may be performed to prevent oral health problems, relive pain, or make room for braces to move teeth.

If you think you need a tooth pulled, visit Pleasant Dental^® . Better yet, visit us before the tooth gets so bad that it needs to be pulled. Just call (708) 576-1900 and arrange an appointment at your convenience.

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