Does my tooth need to be extracted?
Patients typically want to avoid having a tooth removed when possible. Dentists, too, will often recommend taking steps to save the biological tooth if that outcome can be achieved. In certain cases, however, a tooth extraction is the best course of treatment and sometimes unavoidable. For example, a patient with a severely decayed or damaged tooth may need to have the tooth removed. Although a dentist may initially attempt to restore or preserve a patient’s natural tooth, instances of advanced decay or a significant injury or trauma can render the tooth unsalvageable. In removing a significantly decayed tooth, the oral surgeon may be acting to save the surrounding teeth from a similar fate. Similarly, if a patient chooses to get a dental implant rather than a restoration such as a crown, the tooth would need to be removed before the dental implant could be placed. Tooth extraction may also be…