Here at Three Rivers Family Dentistry in Murfreesboro, TN, we don’t take tooth extractions lightly. There are a number of reasons why we might recommend a tooth extraction for our patients. Some require extractions because of tooth decay while others need to remove teeth hindering orthodontic treatment. Various other patients simply need their wisdom teeth removed.

Our Murfreesboro dental extraction professionals will discuss the details of your procedure and make sure you feel comfortable and safe throughout the process. They will also go over what is required of you after an extraction in order to avoid infection and its subsequent risks. Dr. Connolly will review the process in depth with you and then follow-up to ensure that you are doing well and what the next steps will be if any.

Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, we will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes, though, there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In this case, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it can’t be saved, even with bone replacement surgery (bone graft).

Here are other reasons for tooth extraction:

• Some people have extra teeth that block other teeth from coming in.
• Sometimes baby teeth don’t fall out in time to allow the permanent teeth to come in.
• People getting braces may need teeth extracted to create room for the teeth that are being moved into place.
• People receiving radiation to the head and neck may need to have teeth in the field of radiation extracted.
• People receiving cancer drugs may develop infected teeth because these drugs weaken the immune system. Infected teeth may need to be extracted.
• Some teeth may need to be extracted if they could become a source of infection after an organ transplant due to drugs that may suppress the immune system.
• Wisdom teeth are often extracted either before or after they come in. They need to be removed if they are decayed, cause pain or have a cyst or infection.