Tooth extractions in Florida

Pulling a tooth is also called a tooth removal or a tooth extraction. Whatever phrase you choose to use, it’s a common and simple procedure at Towncare Dental. Teeth are attached to the jaw bone by fibers called periodontal ligaments. By carefully manipulating a tooth, our dentists can detach these ligaments and extract the tooth.

Why a Tooth May Need to be Removed

There are several reasons why people come to Towncare Dental to have a tooth removed. Common reasons for tooth extractions include:

Severely cracked or broken tooth

In many cases, a tooth that is cracked or broken can be fixed with a crown only. In other cases, the damage has reached the pulp of the tooth and the tooth needs a root canal and a crown so it can be saved. Then there are times when the tooth is so severely damaged that it cannot be saved. In those cases, our dentist will recommend the cracked or broken tooth be removed.

Severe decay (cavity)

Dental decay is an infection that erodes the tooth enamel causing a cavity (hole) in the tooth. Small cavities can be fixed with a filling and larger cavities can typically be fixed with a crown. However, if your tooth has become infected and you are in pain, the dentist may recommend either a root canal or an extraction.

Baby tooth retained

A retained baby tooth is a primary tooth that does not fall out on its own. That means the permanent tooth behind it cannot emerge through the gum line. In this case, the dentist will remove the baby tooth so the permanent tooth is able to come through.

Tooth needs to be removed before braces

Sometimes the jaw is too small to hold all the teeth in proper alignment. The teeth can crowd each other, moving them out of position. When this occurs, our dentist may extract a tooth to make room for the other teeth. Often, an extraction of a tooth is followed by orthodontic treatment including braces to properly align the remaining teeth.

Gum disease created loose teeth

Periodontal disease is also known as gum disease. Just like the bacteria in your mouth can attack the enamel of the tooth and create cavities, the bacteria can attack the gum tissue, causing it to pull away from the tooth and eroding the ligaments holding the tooth to the jaw bone. If the tooth becomes too loose, it can fall out or require pulling.

Wisdom tooth or teeth are impacted

Wisdom teeth are the third molars that typically push through the gum line at the back of the jaw when a person is between the ages of 17 and 25. In many cases, there is not room for the wisdom teeth to come in. If the wisdom tooth remains partially or completely under the gum line and is impacting the tooth next to it, it’s called an impacted wisdom tooth. A dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon to remove the impacted tooth.

If our dentist refers to the type of extraction you need as a “simple tooth extraction,” that means the dentist anticipates the shape and condition of the tooth roots will allow the tooth to come out easily. This is also referred to as an uncomplicated extraction.

Generally speaking, a tooth extraction is a routine dental procedure that can be performed by a general dentist in the comfort of our Towncare Dental office. In other cases, our dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon to perform the tooth extraction.

Wisdom Tooth Removal in Florida

Most people have four wisdom teeth that come through the gum line during the later teen/early adult years. Their officially referred to as third molars.

There is often not enough room in the jaw for these molars. When they try to push their way up past the gum line, they may cause several oral health problems. When our team at Towncare Dental takes x-rays, we check to see if the wisdom teeth are causing any problems such as:

• Your jaw is too small for the wisdom teeth to properly come through the gum line
• The wisdom teeth are only partially coming through the gums
• The wisdom teeth are growing in at an angle
• The wisdom teeth are damaging the adjacent teeth
• The wisdom teeth are damaging the jaw bone
• The wisdom teeth are leading to gum infection

Our dentist may recommend you have the wisdom teeth removed to eliminate existing problems or to prevent future ones. It’s easiest to have the wisdom teeth extracted before the age of 25. That’s because the wisdom tooth roots are not fully developed yet and the jaw bone is not as dense as it will be later in life.

If our dentist cannot perform the wisdom tooth procedure, we’ll refer you to an oral surgeon who will be able to help you.

Call Towncare Dental Today to Schedule an Exam

The first step to determining whether you need to have any teeth extracted is to schedule a dental exam. We’ll take x-rays, evaluate the condition of your teeth and discuss your concerns. Then we can determine whether the natural tooth or teeth can be saved and restored to health, or if the best option is to remove the damaged teeth.