Losing a tooth is one thing, but choosing to extract one or more of them can sometimes be more difficult. Usually, the goal of restorative dental care is to help you save and preserve your healthy, natural tooth structure as much as possible. Sometimes, however, it isn’t possible, and before restoring your smile becomes more complicated, we may recommend extracting a tooth that can’t be saved. At our Greenville, TX, dental office, we offer a wide range of treatments to help you save damaged or decayed teeth. We can also perform tooth extraction if it’s required to preserve your long-term oral health.

Is extraction really necessary?

Whenever possible, it’s always preferable to save your healthy, natural tooth structure and restore or strengthen it to protect its long-term integrity. Because tooth extraction involves the removal of the entire tooth, we only recommend it when removing the tooth is the only viable option. The reasons for tooth extraction vary, and can include a severely damaged tooth, one that has been compromised by extreme tooth decay, and other cases when no other restorative dental treatment can save it.

What happens if I wait?

Because you have no other options, you may be tempted to wait before choosing to extract the tooth, perhaps hoping that it will fall out on its own. Most dental health issues, including those that lead to the need for tooth extraction, are progressive. The longer you wait, the worse your condition will become and the greater your risks will be of developing increasingly more serious oral health concerns. If your dentist recommends tooth extraction, then the best way to preserve your long-term oral health and smile will be to undergo the procedure as soon as possible. In many cases, we can then replace the tooth to fully restore your smile’s appearance, your bite’s function, and more.

Will I need further treatment afterward?

While there are many different potential reasons for needing tooth extraction, most of them include a need to replace the tooth after it’s been extracted. For example, a severely damaged or compromised tooth poses a threat because it can no longer function properly, which affects your overall bite function. Replacing the extracted tooth, preferably with a dental implant-supported restoration, will allow us to fully restore your smile afterward.

Learn more about tooth extraction

If you’re faced with the need to extract one or more teeth, then we can answer all of your questions to help you know what to expect. To learn more, schedule a consultation with Smith Family Dentistry in Greenville, TX call us at 903-455-5750. We proudly serve patients from Hunt County, Greenville, Royce City, Sulphur Springs, and all surrounding communities.