Tooth Extraction vs. Restoration: a Dentist in Vintage Park Weighs in

Should you try to save an ailing tooth or extract it altogether? This is one of the questions that comes up when seeing your dentist in Vintage Park for emergency care. While an extraction may seem like the obvious choice, in most cases it’s better to save the tooth if possible.

Falling Like a Row of Dominoes

Even a single missing tooth can weaken those around it, setting you up for long-term problems. Here’s why:

• Your teeth work together like a team. When one is missing, it places unnatural stress on those around it, putting them at risk of harm and loosening them at the roots.
• The gap left behind when a tooth is extracted can itself become infected, leading to ongoing pain and swelling. This only perpetuates the problem that the extraction was intended to solve.
• A missing tooth can cause aesthetic concerns that affect your self-confidence in social situations. Why put yourself through that kind of uneasiness?
• Modern dental medicine offers more options for saving a distressed tooth than ever before. Why deal with the disadvantages of an extraction when the tooth can be restored instead?

For these reasons, most dentist prefer to reserve extractions for those rare occasions when there is no other option.

Alternatives to Tooth Extraction

Your dentist in Vintage Park will discuss your options with you at the time of your appointment. Here are some of the approaches he or she may suggest:

• A dental crown. The dentist files and shapes the top part of the tooth to receive a protective crown, which sits atop the root and protects it from further damage.
• A filling. This is one of the most common treatments for cavities. Modern fillings can last from 10 years up to a lifetime. They arrest the decay process and give the patient long-term relief.
• A root canal. Sometimes a tooth is so infected that the roots themselves are in danger. A root canal is the standard procedure for correcting this problem. Your dentist will remove the decayed material, swab the tooth with an anti-microbial solution, apply a filling and probably finish off the restoration with a crown.

Sometimes there is no saving a damaged or infected tooth. In such cases, your dentist in Vintage Park will probably opt for an extraction. This might require sedative, especially if the tooth is not intact.

Once a tooth is extracted, your dentist may recommend a variety of restorative approaches to give you back lost functionality. Possible options include:

• Bridgework. As its name implies, a dental bridge spans the gap left behind by a missing tooth. A bridge does require a healthy tooth on either side of the space to support the restoration.
• Dental implants. This is currently the state-of-the-art approach to tooth restoration. A properly placed dental implant is indistinguishable from a natural tooth. Implants can last from 10 years up to a lifetime with only basic care.

As you can see, there are many potential alternatives to tooth extraction. Discuss these approaches with your dentist at the time of your appointment. The facts you learn may be all it takes to put a smile on your face.

About the Author

Dr. Darrick Castleberry served our country for many years as a member of the Military Dental Corps. He is widely regarded as one of Houston’s leading cosmetic and restorative dentists. You can reach his office online or by calling  (281) 320-9600.