Once you lose your baby teeth, your adult (or permanent) teeth are here to stay! Or so you thought, right? There are several reasons why you may need to get your tooth extracted – crowded teeth, risk of infection, gum disease, wisdom teeth that are coming in misaligned, etc. However, one of the most common reasons to extract teeth is actually due to damage or decay. A tooth that cannot be repaired is best extracted and then replaced with an implant so it cannot be damaged again. You’re probably wondering – does my tooth need to be extracted?
How Do You Know?
If you suspect you may need a tooth extraction, the first thing you should do is: call your dentist. Your dentist will be able to x-ray your mouth to determine if your tooth needs to be extracted due to a crowded mouth or failure to break through the gum.
If you’ve damaged your tooth or feel that your gums may be getting infected, it’s important to have your mouth looked at to prevent further damage.
Is Tooth Extraction Painful?
The procedure to remove your tooth (or teeth) is fairly simple. Depending on the severity of your teeth and how they need to be removed, you will either be sedated or local anesthetic will be used so you won’t feel anything.
You’ll want to keep plenty of ice packs and gauze pads around to help you after the procedure, but your dentist will also prescribe you medication to manage any pain you may feel.
