Find out why tooth extractions are necessary.

While the goal of your dentist is to typically preserve your natural teeth, there are situations in which our Woodbridge, VA, dentist Dr. Charles Sours may recommend tooth extractions to improve the health and betterment of your smile. Wondering why tooth extractions are performed? Here are some of the top reasons:

Impacted Wisdom Tooth

Impacted wisdom teeth are the most common reason our Woodbridge, VA, dentist performs tooth extractions on patients. These final sets of molars come in around your late teens or early 20s, and if they are impacted (meaning that they don’t fully erupt through the gums) this can increase your risk for a serious infection. Most wisdom teeth will need to come out to prevent damage to neighboring teeth, infections, and cavities.

Significant Damage to a Tooth

If your tooth has severe decay or damage, it might not be possible to repair the tooth. This can often happen to those with advanced stages of untreated or uncontrolled gum disease. Gum disease often causes teeth to become loose. When this happens, often the only solution is to remove the tooth completely and opt for a dental implant or dental bridge to replace the missing tooth.

A Severe Misalignment or Overcrowding

While most misaligned teeth can be fixed simply with braces, there are cases in which teeth may need to be removed to fix severe malalignments. This often happens in those with front teeth protrusions, which can be so extensive that some patients can’t even close their lips together. We may also opt for a tooth extraction if the tooth has no other tooth to bite down against, which renders it useless.

Extra Teeth

This condition is known as hyperdontia, in which you have teeth that erupt in addition to your regular number of teeth. These extra teeth are better known as supernumerary teeth and since they don’t serve a function and can even cause issues with your smile, we highly recommend having these extra teeth removed.

Less likely causes for tooth extractions include undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or an organ transplant, which can weaken the immune system and make you more prone to serious complications like dental infections, which can cause irreparable damage to your tooth.

Whether you have a damaged tooth or you’re wondering if it’s time to have your teen’s wisdom teeth removed, it’s a good idea to sit down with our Woodbridge, VA, family dentist Dr. Sours to discuss tooth extractions and whether the procedure is right for you. To schedule a consultation, call us at (703) 491-2131.