Find out why tooth extractions are sometimes crucial for your oral health.
Once our permanent teeth come in, we often just assume that we will have them for life. Despite this typical line of thinking, tooth 
extraction remains a common dental procedure that some of us will inevitably have to undergo. Our Kalamazoo, MI, dentist, Dr. Mark Richardson, is here to explain why they are performed.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
This is one of the most prevalent reasons that an extraction is necessary. During our late-teens to early 20s, most of us will develop a third and final set of molars that are often impacted. This means that they won't fully erupt through the gums, which can lead bacteria to become trapped in the socket and subsequently cause an infection.
In other cases, wisdom teeth can cause damage to neighboring teeth or increase your risk for decay. When this happens, our Kalamazoo, MI, general dentist will recommend having the wisdom teeth removed.
Severe Decay
When decay is detected during a routine checkup, it must be removed to prevent it from spreading. Depending on the severity, there are multiple ways of handling this issue, though it often necessitates a cleaning followed by either a dental filling or a crown.
However, if you don’t treat the decay early, it will continue to take over the tooth. Decay can even become serious enough to affect the inside of the tooth (known as the pulp), which will then require root canal treatment. At this point, if the infection is still left untreated, it can cause the tooth to become irreversibly damaged. When this happens, the only option is to remove and replace the tooth.
An Extensive Crack or Fracture
Cracked or broken teeth can often be fixed with a variety of restorative treatment options that frequently includes a crown placed over the tooth. However, if the tooth isn’t treated in a timely fashion or if the damage is so extensive that the crack goes below the gum line, your dentist may have to remove it, as the tooth has become inviable.
Contact Us Today!
Are your wisdom teeth starting to come in? Dealing with a cracked tooth? If so, then it’s time you turned to our Kalamazoo, MI, dental team to find out the best way to keep your oral health the best it can be. Whether you need to have a tooth removed or you want to turn to other restorative dentistry measures, let us help you get your smile back on the right track.