General dentists only recommend tooth extraction as a last resort. The only exemption to this rule would be wisdom teeth since they are not essential to the oral cavity. A tooth extraction is typically recommended when treatments used to repair or rebuild teeth will not be sufficient enough to restore a tooth's function. Extractions are also used as a way to prevent out of control infections from entering the bloodstream and spreading to other areas.
Tooth extraction is one of those dental procedures that has a bad reputation, but patients do not feel anything during the treatment since local or general anesthetics are used. Recovery after a tooth extraction does involve some pain and discomfort which can be managed with prescription or over-the-counter painkillers.
There are two main types of tooth extractions performed by dentists: simple and surgical. A simple extraction is performed if the dentist can remove the tooth with forceps, while surgical extractions are performed when an incision needs to be made to reach the tooth. For example, an impacted tooth requires surgical extraction.
Dentists only recommend tooth extractions after carefully diagnosing patients and determining it is the best way to proceed. Some of the reasons why a dentist might recommend extracting a tooth include:
Here are some of the signs that indicate tooth extraction might be in a patient's future:
Dealing with a tooth that needs to be extracted? Call or visit our Madison practice to set up an appointment with our dentist.
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