Extraction is the complete removal of a primary or a permanent tooth. An extraction can be surgical or non-surgical. This depends on the difficulty of the extraction, whether or not the tooth is impacted or erupted, and whether it has straight or curved roots.

An extraction may be done by our office or you may be referred to an Oral Surgeon (someone who specializes in difficult or surgical extractions). No one looks forward to an extraction, but modern anesthesia will help keep you comfortable throughout the procedure.

Reasons for an extraction are:

• Advanced Gum Disease. This is the #1 reason adults loose their teeth!
• An abscessed tooth that cannot be saved.
• A tooth with decay too deep to save the tooth.
• A tooth that has broken at the gum line and cannot be saved.
• Impacted tooth (typically a "wisdom tooth")

The value of healthy, functional teeth cannot be underestimated. Many advances in dentistry allow us to save teeth that we could not previously, but sometimes an extraction is necessary.

When an extraction is performed, it is important to put something in the place of the missing tooth or teeth. If the space is just left open, your teeth could shift and cause a number of unnecessary complications. An extracted tooth may be replaced by a temporary or permanent bridge, an implant, or by a partial or complete denture.