Our West Michigan dentists will always do everything in their power to save a tooth through restorative procedures. However, sometimes tooth extraction is necessary to protect your current and future oral health. The sooner you see our dentists for tooth pain, the more likely we’ll be able to avoid dental extraction.

Here’s when having a tooth removed is important and what happens after.

Who Needs a Tooth Extraction?

Pulling a tooth becomes necessary when there’s a dental issue that compromises not only health but functionality as well. A few of the most common reasons for tooth extraction include severe tooth decay, advanced gum disease leading to tooth instability, and impacted wisdom teeth.

In some instances, we may need to resort to emergency tooth extraction if the tooth can’t be restored using another method. How we extract your tooth will depend on whether it has erupted through the gum line. For example, you’ll need surgery for impacted wisdom teeth stuck beneath your gums. If the tooth is visible, our dentists will use a special tool to gently loosen your tooth before taking it out with dental forceps

Before pulling teeth, our dentists will administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth. That way, you won’t feel any pain during the experience. Following tooth removal, you can expect to have some residual numbness, but this will fade after a few hours and any lingering discomfort can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Generally, our dentists recommend tooth extraction if you have:

  • Severe tooth decay
  • Fractured tooth
  • Impacted wisdom teeth
  • Crowded teeth (may consult with a local orthodontist)
  • Tooth infection

Restoration Options After Extraction

Once all healing is complete, we can move forward with smile restoration. Depending on the extent of tooth loss, our dentists have several options to choose from, one of which being dentures.

Partial dentures replace multiple missing teeth while preserving existing healthy teeth while full dentures replace all teeth in a dental arch. Dentures are custom-made to fit the patient’s mouth comfortably and securely, allowing for improved speech and chewing. Immediate dentures can also be placed after extraction to act as a placeholder for the permanent appliance.

If you’re interested in a more permanent solution that doesn’t need to be adjusted over time, dental implants are surgically placed into the jawbone, where they fuse with the surrounding bone tissue. By comparison, dentures rest on top of the gums and may require adhesives for added stability. This integration provides a strong foundation for dental crowns or even overdentures, which are attached to the implants for a secure and natural-looking restoration.

Lastly, we can introduce you to dental bridges which anchor to adjacent teeth surrounding a gap or if needed, implants. The end choice in terms of restoration is ultimately yours and we’ll make sure you’re informed every step of the way.

Get Your Tooth Looked At Today

Our tooth extraction dentists in West Michigan want what’s best for your smile and will do what’s needed to keep it healthy in the short and long term. Call one of our MI Smiles Dental locations down below to schedule an appointment and see if extraction is right for you.

Read About Tooth Extraction & Replacement