Getting a tooth pulled can be an emotional time because it impacts your smile and your self-esteem. If you take great care of your teeth, you may assume you'll never need a tooth pulled. However, there are many reasons you may need a tooth extracted besides major decay.

Ineffective Root Canal therapy

One common reason people have a tooth pulled is because they have an abscess. The only other treatment for an abscess is root canal therapy, which saves the tooth but is more expensive and often not fully covered by dental insurance. This may force people with an infection to seek extraction. Similarly, sometimes a root canal treatment doesn't work, and the infection comes back. If re-treatment is not possible, the only way to protect your mouth's health is to remove the tooth.

Severe Damage to the Structure

Teeth that have experienced severe damage to their structure are also often removed. This damage doesn't only occur from decay and cavities. A sudden impact to your mouth can cause your tooth to break or crack. Your dentist may be able to perform root canal therapy to prevent future infection, rebuild the tooth, and strengthen the structure with a crown. However, if too much of the tooth has been lost, the built-up tooth may not be strong enough, and your dentist may suggest that pulling the tooth is a better long-term solution.

Overcrowding and Misalignment

If you have crooked teeth or overcrowded teeth, your first thought probably isn't to remove a tooth. However, your dentist may suggest it. Some people just can't have straight teeth because their mouth isn't big enough for all their teeth. If the teeth are straightened when there is overcrowding, it can lead to an imperfect smile or bite. By removing one or two teeth, your dentist can ensure your teeth sit more comfortably and naturally in your mouth. Even though you have fewer teeth, the result is more natural than if the teeth hadn't been extracted.

Impacted or Non-Erupted Teeth

Almost everyone has or knows someone with at least one crooked tooth. It's incredibly common, but it isn't the only way your teeth can go astray. Some teeth become impacted. An impacted tooth may grow in at a slight angle or it may grow completely sideways. Either way, it can't grow properly without hitting the tooth beside it, causing pain, damage, and infection. Some teeth, on the other hand, especially those that become impacted, cannot completely erupt from the gums. They may be fully grown but completely below the gum line or only partially erupted. These teeth can also cause infection, which is why they should be removed.

Supernumerary Teeth

The term supernumerary teeth refers to extra teeth. Most people get one set of primary teeth and one set of permanent teeth, including four extra molars or wisdom teeth. However, some people have this supernumerary teeth condition. Unfortunately, it's not as useful as it sounds. Even if you have a healthy adult tooth, a new one may try to grow, and it may not even be a fully developed tooth. These extra teeth can happen to any teeth, but they are common with your wisdom teeth. These supernumerary teeth must usually be removed because they can cause damage, decay, crookedness, pain, and even infection.

If your dentist suggest a tooth extraction, it doesn't mean you can't take care of your teeth. It simply means that an extraction was your best chance for a healthy smile. Visit a site like http://renovoendo.com and contact a dentist or endodontist for information regarding tooth extraction and your oral health options.