Your oral health is the top priority to consider when attending your routine preventive care visit. While a great deal of attention is often given to your smile’s appearance, its function and overall quality are just as important, if not even more so. As a result of improper care or other emergency circumstance, some people face major destruction and decay that put their health at risk without treatment. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS prosthodontist looks at circumstances that may warrant the removal of one or more teeth, and how our team can help you through the process.
Compromission Beyond Treatment
The last thing that your dentist wants is to extract your natural tooth. You see, the norm as a child is that baby teeth fall out and are replaced by adult ones. The same is far from true for adults, as once your natural structures are gone, they will not come back. So, what exactly constitutes the removal of an oral structure?
In most cases, the need for removal often arises from accruing significant damage or decay caused by harmful oral bacteria. In its early stages, decay can present itself as a small cavity on or around a tooth. Without proper treatment such as a composite filling, this deterioration will continue to spread from the outside-inward. At this stage, bacteria are actively harming the inner dental pulp and nerves of your teeth. This will cause you to experience side effects such as sharp or shooting pains, difficulty in function, and even sensitivity. Fortunately, all hope is not yet lost, as a root canal procedure may still salvage it yet. Once it has progressed past this stage, however, the structure will be considered compromised beyond treatment.
Threat of Infection for Other Teeth
Another important consideration to account for is how much destruction you can avoid. In other words, sometimes it takes sacrificing one tooth to preserve the remaining ones. For example, as a structure decays, it will eventually fall out on its own. The problem arises, however, in the time that the infection remains present, as you experience an increased likelihood that surrounding structures become infected as well. In cases like this, removal may be the best option. For more information about this process, reach out to our team today.
Diminished Function and Increased Pain
Finally, teeth may be considered for removal if their compromission has resulted in significant pain and inability to function. When it comes down to it, eating is necessary for survival, and if you cannot perform optimally due to significant pain, you must take the necessary steps to resolve the problem.
Schedule Your Visit Today
Contact Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS by calling 913-362-8200 to learn more or to schedule your appointment today.