Permanent teeth, while intended to last a lifetime, can end up needing to be extracted. In fact, there can be a number of reasons for someone having one or more of their teeth extracted. Learning more about tooth extractions can help you to understand some ways in which extraction can be avoided compared to times when they become a necessity, and give you other helpful information you want to be aware of for current or future dental reasons. Here is more on this subject: 

Reasons for tooth extractions

Creating room - One of the common reasons for having a tooth extracted is to create more room. Sometimes, there can be crowding that's being caused by having teeth so close to one another that they are creating issues. Or, there can even be an extra tooth in a space that's causing crowding. By extracting the extra tooth, or one of the teeth that are in the crowded area, more space can be created. In some cases, the teeth will naturally space out correctly over time after a tooth has been extracted. Other times, the patient may need to wear invisible aligners or braces after a tooth has been extracted to get the rest properly spaced and aligned. 

Removing a damaged tooth - There are a lot of ways that a tooth can become damaged. Trauma can cause damage to a tooth, such as trauma that can occur during an auto accident, due to being hit in the mouth by an object, or due to hitting one's mouth during a fall. If the damaged tooth can't be saved, then the dentist will likely find extracting the tooth to be the best course of action. 

Removing a decayed tooth - Another reason for having a tooth extracted is to remove one that is decayed. A decayed tooth will continue to get worse. It can end up causing you pain by becoming infected. Also, when infected, you will need to be treated with antibiotics to fight the infection off and prevent it from spreading and creating health risks. A decayed tooth can also result in other issues such as bad breath and the development of other cavities in your mouth. 

What can be done after a tooth extraction

If you are dealing with a very tight budget, then a tooth extraction may be all you can have done at the moment. If this is all you can have done, you should still follow through with it to avoid worse issues. Other things that can be done to replace your tooth after an extraction includes partial dentures, a bridge, or a dental implant.

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