5 Surprising Reasons You May Need A Tooth Extraction

While it's common to assume anyone who has a tooth pulled must have poor oral hygiene and bad teeth, but that isn't always the case. Even when you take perfect care of your teeth and visit the dentist regularly, nature or just fate can cause a seemingly healthy tooth to require extraction. Check out these five surprising reasons you may need to have a tooth pulled.

Overcrowded Teeth

If you have crooked teeth due to overcrowding, your dentist may suggest braces to correct this problem. However, if the overcrowding is because your mouth simply big enough to hold all your teeth, braces alone could actually hinder your smile. The end result may look awkward, and your bite may even be off. Your dentist may decide that you are a good candidate to have one or more teeth removed, so they fit more comfortably in your mouth. In the end, you have fewer teeth, but after the braces do their job, no one will be able to tell. Your teeth will simply look perfect and feel great.

Impacted Teeth

A slightly crooked tooth may cause some self-esteem problems, but it isn't a cause for concern unless you want a perfect smile. However, teeth can become so crooked they actually become impacted. An impacted tooth typically grows in at an angle. As a result, the tooth pushes against the tooth beside it, leading to pain, inflammation and even infection. Braces can't really fix impacted teeth, so they usually have to be removed. Similarly, some teeth, especially impacted teeth, don't completely erupt through the gum line. This too can lead to infection, which is why non-erupted or partially-erupted teeth are often removed even if they aren't impacted.

Supernumerary Teeth

In some cases, you can actually grow extra teeth. While the idea of growing a new set of teeth might sound appealing to some people with poor oral hygiene, that isn't what supernumerary teeth are. You don't grow an entire new set of teeth, just one or two here and there. If a healthy, adult tooth is already in that spot, this could cause damage, inflammation or crowding, so the tooth must be removed. Supernumerary teeth can affect any teeth, but they are common with wisdom teeth. After you get your teeth removed, you may notice a new tooth growing. In some cases, it's a fully formed new tooth, and in some cases, it's just a partial. Either way, they should be removed to prevent future problems.

Trauma to the Tooth

If you suffer trauma to the mouth, you may need one or two teeth removed. For starters, when a tooth is severely damaged from trauma, it can actually die, and it may even change colors. This type of discoloration cannot be corrected with tooth whitening. Trauma can also lead to minor fractures that allow bacteria to enter. Lastly, enough trauma could impact the outer structure of the tooth. Unless the dentist feels they can strengthen the tooth with a crown, it may be best to have it removed to prevent further decay, pain and infection.

Ineffective Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment changed the way dentists treated tooth infections because it saves the tooth. Instead of just pulling the tooth, the dentist eliminates the infection and removes the pulp. Unfortunately, sometimes, root canal treatment doesn't work the first time. Depending on the reason the root canal treatment failed, your dentist may perform a second procedure. However, if another root canal treatment won't work, the dentist will have to extract the tooth to prevent future problems.

Just because you take excellent care of your teeth, you may still need to have a tooth extracted one day to protect the overall health of your mouth. For more information regarding tooth extraction, contact a dentist in your area today. You can also visit websites like http://renovoendo.com.