Of all the treatment options you have when it comes to restoring your smile, tooth extraction can seem like the least attractive solution. Fortunately, extracting a tooth isn’t something your dentist will recommend often. In fact, the procedure is only recommended when no other options suffice to save your tooth. If your tooth needs extraction, then your dentist will carefully explain the need for the procedure, how it can help your long-term oral health, and what you should consider when it comes to restoring your smile afterward.

It’s a Last-Resort Solution

Your dentist warns you that if you don’t take good care of your teeth and gums, then eventually, you may be faced with tooth loss. Therefore, when your dentist recommends tooth extraction, you might wonder what happened to trying to preserve it. The truth is that extracting a tooth is often the only way to restore a smile in certain severe cases. For instance, if a tooth is impacted, severely broken, or the majority of its structure is afflicted with decay, then removing the tooth will allow your dentist to replace it and fully restore your bite.

Your Treatment Shouldn’t End There

In most cases, tooth extraction should only be the first step to restoring your smile. After the loss of the tooth, your remaining teeth and the harmony of your bite can suffer from its absence. Teeth can shift toward the open space, and your jawbone can grow weaker without the tooth’s root to stimulate it. Before performing tooth extraction, your dentist will discuss how it will affect your long-term oral health, as well as your best options for replacing the tooth as soon as possible to avoid further complications.

Find Out More About the Value of Tooth Extraction

If you need to have a tooth extracted, then speak with your dentist about what to expect, and how you can preserve your smile afterward. To learn more, schedule a consultation with Dr. Burds by calling Gateway Dental Group in downtown Des Moines, IA, at (515) 244-9565.