Tooth extraction is one of the oldest treatments any dentist or dental surgeon will offer. While it’s now usually seen as a last resort, there are many reasons why it might become necessary, from protecting healthy teeth to treating ongoing or sudden dental trauma. Take a look at a few reasons why adults might need tooth extraction in the following article.

Why Do Adults Need Tooth Extraction?

1. Severe Decay

Decay is the most prominent traditional reason to carry out a tooth extraction. In modern dentistry, there is a wide array of alternative treatment options, such as root canals and apicoectomies, which allow dentists to save natural teeth. In extreme cases, however, decay can become advanced enough for these approaches to be ineffective. Extensive decay can significantly increase the risk of infections, oral disease, abscesses, and other problems. It may be necessary to remove a damaged tooth in order to prevent these and other painful conditions.

2. Treating Injuries

Dental trauma is another reason why adults seek tooth extraction. This refers to any physical injury to the mouth, such as fracturing, chipping, or damage to the lips, gums, tongue, or jawbones.

Dental trauma can result from a number of causes, such as sports injuries, automotive or workplace accidents, or even simply biting into a particularly hard piece of food. It may not be possible to protect or repair severely damaged teeth with crowns or fillings, making extraction the only viable option in many cases.

3. Overcrowding

It may be necessary to remove one or more teeth in order to relieve stress and pain caused by overcrowding. This issue can arise when wisdom teeth erupt and restrict space along the gums for other teeth. Alternatively, if you plan to get braces to straighten your teeth, it may be necessary to remove some teeth  to create sufficient space for realignment.

Whether you’re interested in tooth extraction to treat an injury or as part of your orthodontic plan, you can count on the specialists at Grassi & Grassi, PC. Serving Monroe County, NY residents for over 40 years, they specialized in top-quality endodontic care for dental trauma, long-term decay, and other common concerns. Call (585) 424-1111 to schedule an appointment, or visit their website to learn more about their services.