A tooth extraction involves removing an entire tooth down to the roots, nerves included. At Point Meadows Dentistry, we want our patients to maintain all of their natural teeth for as long as possible; however, there are some situations where removing a tooth may be the best option.

Some of the most common reasons for a tooth extraction include:

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• Severe infection that have caused the deterioration of most of the tooth and possibly the bone beneath.

• Extensive tooth decay that makes a successful restorative treatment impossible.

• Dental crowding, often caused by insufficient space or the eruption of extra teeth.

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Type of Extractions:

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Simple Extraction: Simple dental extraction involves the removal of a visible tooth. This procedure is often carried out using a local anesthetic to numb the area and reduce the pain experienced by the patient. Simple tooth extractions are preferred when feasible because they are easier to carry out typically have fewer adverse effects than surgical extractions.

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Surgical Extraction: Surgical extractions involve the removal of teeth that are not easily accessible inside your mouth. This may be because they have not erupted through the gum completely or because they are fractured under the gum line.​

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Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that commonly show up in our late teen years or early twenties. Sometimes these teeth can be valuable when healthy and properly aligned, but more often, they are impacted and need to be removed. 

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There are Four Different Types of Impacted Wisdom Teeth:

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Vertical Impaction - This happens when the tooth is growing and erupting vertically. It’s very likely that this type of impaction will erupt normally and most cases don’t require surgery to remove them. However, in some situations, the vertically impacted tooth may be too close to its neighboring molar and can damage the tooth by rubbing or pushing against it.

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Distal Impaction - This happens when the tooth is angled towards the back of the mouth. This is the most uncommon impaction and is left up to the dentist to determine whether it needs to be removed. That decision is mostly based on the angle and whether the tooth will eventually grow to impact the jaw bone.

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Mesial Impaction - This is the opposite of Distal impaction, as the tooth angles forward towards the front of the mouth. This is the most common type of tooth impaction. Mesial impaction commonly will be partially erupted, the back of the tooth erupts and the front is pushed against the front molar. A partial erupted mesial impacted wisdom tooth will often require monitored to ensure the impacted tooth is not causing damage to the neighboring molar, if it is then an extraction is necessary.

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Horizontal Impaction - This is the most painful type of impaction as the tooth or teeth grow in sideways, fully beneath the gums, pushing forward on the molar in front of it. This type of impaction is diagnosed with x-ray and will likely cause damage to surrounding teeth and unbearable pain if it isn’t taken out. 

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Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth 

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Most impacted teeth can be recognized by x-rays during regular dental visits before they ever even become a problem. Other symptoms include:

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• Swelling and bleeding gums in the back of your mouth.

• Difficulty and pain opening your jaw.

• Bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth.

• Pain when eating.

• Headaches

• Swollen neck and shoulder glands.

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Reasons to Replace an Extracted Tooth

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All of your teeth have an important job to do in your mouth. Your teeth allow you to chew and make your food more digestible. Not to mention, teeth aid in the pronunciation of words and make it possible to speak. Missing teeth can also have an impact on our appearance. But, this is not the worst of what can happen if you do not replace missing teeth.

Here is a list of situations that can happen after a tooth is removed and not replaced:

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• An empty tooth space opens the opportunity for a neighboring tooth to super erupt. This is when a tooth tries to overcompensate for the missing tooth by growing and filling the gap since there is nothing there to stop it.

• You put yourself at risk of bone resorption or bone loss. This bone loss will cause your cheeks and lips to look sunken in, instantly aging you.

• The teeth next to the empty space will shift toward each other and try to fill the space, resulting in a partial gap and crooked teeth.

• A shift in the alignment of your teeth will also have a negative impact on your bite and the way you chew your food. Without your full chewing function, the remaining teeth will attempt to pick up the slack of the missing tooth by absorbing more force and weight. This will unfortunately prematurely age your teeth and put you at an increased risk for chipped and fractured teeth.

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When you visit Point Meadows Dentistry, we will carefully examine your oral health and determine if a tooth extraction is the right call. If you need an extraction, Dr. Andrew Zerbinopoulos is extremely skilled and will work to ensure that your treatment is as painless as possible. We will also provide you with specific post-treatment instructions. If you misplaced your post-surgery directions you can download a copy below.

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Following your extraction, we will provide options to return your smile to a functional beautiful state with a natural-looking replacement tooth.