Tooth extraction sometimes referred to as dental extraction, is the extraction of a tooth or teeth from the socket. Extracting teeth is not the first choice we undergo, but depending on the tooth’s condition, it may be required. If a tooth has become damaged by too much erosion for crowns or fillings to repair or when a tooth is too loose to mend with bone grafting, it may need to be pulled.

We understand that it’s never fun to hear that a tooth needs to be pulled, so we’ve put together the following list to help you know a few of the reasons why teeth are removed.

-Orthodontics. The goal of orthodontics is to straighten the teeth within your mouth properly, and if a tooth is in the way of another tooth that needs moving or too bulky for your oral cavity, it might require extraction.

-Risk of infection. If you’re undergoing any sort of treatment that requires suppression of the immune system, such as cancer or an organ transplant, pulling a tooth or teeth can help foil infection — both for your teeth and the remainder of your body.

-Baby teeth/wisdom teeth. Probably the least complex reason to accept for tooth removal is lingering teeth that haven’t removed themselves as they naturally should have, such as baby teeth and wisdom teeth. In this case, we’ll be helping your teeth move along so that they make space for new teeth or don’t end up causing you to suffer from needless pain.

If you’re troubled about tooth extraction, remember: brushing and flossing your teeth and gums daily and visiting our dentists often are the greatest ways to avert lost teeth. Please schedule your next appointment with our Orem, Utah, office now by calling 801-375-9511. Dr. DeLoach, Dr. Dargel, and the staff of Merit Dental will be ecstatic to see you.