Tooth Extraction In Philadelphia, PA
While most dentists are looking to save your teeth, there are times when a tooth extraction is necessary. In fact, tooth extraction is the most common dental procedure in the United States. If you are thinking you or someone in your family needs a tooth extraction, we can help assess your situation at Art of Smile – Center for Cosmetic Orthodontics.
When might I need a tooth extraction?
One of the most common reasons teeth need to be extracted is when there are too many teeth and not enough space for them. When teeth are overcrowded, tooth extraction may have to take place in order to make room for all of your other teeth. Often, a tooth extraction removes impacted canine teeth before other corrective procedures, such as orthodontic work, can occur.
You might also need a tooth extraction if you have a diseased or dying tooth. Dentists sometimes have to remove a tooth to save your other teeth from infection. You might also lose a tooth due to an accident or injury, when you have had trauma to your tooth.
Another very common reason you may need a tooth extraction is that your wisdom teeth are impacted. An impacted tooth means that either your wisdom tooth has not come in when it is supposed to or something is preventing the teeth from coming in. Wisdom teeth are a special case. They are the last molars you get for your set of adult teeth. Usually, wisdom teeth erupt when you are between 17 and 25 years old. However, because they are the last teeth to erupt, sometimes there are issues.
Your wisdom teeth may try to come in sideways, or they may remain in your jawbone and not erupt at all. If the wisdom teeth aren’t causing you any problems, there’s no need to remove them. If your wisdom teeth become infected or abscessed, they can cause headaches, jaw pain, and cysts to develop. When wisdom teeth are removed, you may require jaw surgery to remove them, depending on how deeply they are embedded in your gums.
What Should I Know About Tooth Extraction?
In most cases, tooth extraction can be accomplished with a simple dental visit. A dentist will numb the area around your tooth so that you can’t feel the area at all. Then the dentist uses a tool to remove the tooth, and they may place stitches in your gum after the tooth is removed.
If a tooth is impacted, such as a canine tooth or wisdom tooth, the procedure may require more preparation. You will need to come in and see the dentist for a consultation to determine how much preparation you’ll need to remove your teeth. If it’s necessary to remove multiple teeth, you and the dentist may want to determine if you can have all of the teeth extracted at once or if you will need to extract your teeth one at a time.
When you need a tooth extracted, our dental team at Art of Smile – Center for Cosmetic Orthodontics can help you. Contact us today at (215) 800-0015 to set up a consultation, or an appointment to come in and talk to us about your teeth.