The dental industry has made a concerted effort to do everything possible to help patients retain their natural teeth. With new advances, there are more ways of keeping your natural teeth clean and free of bacteria and decay. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, teeth still become damaged, and the result is a tooth extraction.

We may recommend a root canal procedure which will keep the outer shell of your natural tooth but remove the inner pulp. This process will save the natural tooth aesthetically for you. Unfortunately, sometimes an infected tooth or a severely damaged tooth simply needs to be extracted to save the health of the neighboring teeth and the jawbone.

At East Columbus Periodontic and Implant Dentistry, our entire team loves helping you develop optimal oral health as well as a functional and healthy smile. Our team uses forward thinking treatments and state-of-the-art technology, to ensure the most comfortable treatment for you. Our practice focuses on delivering personal care and developing individual treatment plans based on your unique needs. We emphasize preventive care and patient education because we want you to understand why it is important to keep your mouth healthy and how to do it. We are located at 5180 E. Main St., Suite A, Columbus, OH, 43213. Please call us today at 614-864-2561 to establish an appointment for an evaluation of the benefits of a tooth extraction for you.

• An Infection- At the center of every natural tooth, there is soft tissue called the pulp that is connected to the nerves of the tooth. If the tooth becomes damaged and the decay reach the tooth’s pulp, the pulp will become infected. When the pulp becomes infected, it can cause serious toothaches and sharp pains in the tooth. Usually, these infected teeth can be saved by East Columbus Periodontic and Implant Dentistry by performing a root canal. A root canal is when we drill into the infected tooth and remove the damaged pulp. Once the pulp is removed and the inside chamber of the tooth is cleaned, it is filled with a composite filling and then sealed. Millions of teeth are saved every year from extraction with a root canal. However, if a root canal cannot correct the infection, then your tooth must be extracted. The reason the tooth must be extracted is to both alleviate the pain from the infection and to also stop the infection from reaching your jawbone.
• Decay or Trauma- Accidents do happen, and when an accident involves your tooth, it can result in extreme pain from the trauma felt by the tooth. We can repair damaged teeth by using a filling to fill in the cracks or fractures that were caused by the trauma. The cracks need to be filled to prevent infection from starting and spreading, and to prevent any decay. If a filling will not work, we may choose a dental crown. A dental crown covers the entire visible surface of the tooth above the gum. Dental crowns are often used to seal a tooth after a root canal procedure or to protect a badly traumatized tooth. When neither of these options help prevent the decay of the tooth from spreading, we have no choice but to extract the tooth to prevent further damage to the tooth and the surrounding teeth as well.
• Gum Disease- One of the leading causes of natural tooth loss is gum disease. This disease causes the gums to slowly detach from the teeth when there is an excessive amount of plaque build-up along the gum line. As the gums start to pull away from the teeth it creates pockets of empty space that become infected. This is when you notice your gums become swollen, red and bleed often. If this disease is left untreated, the connectivity tissue that holds onto your teeth will start to lose its grip on your teeth. In extreme cases, your teeth will start to loosen up on their own and East Columbus Periodontic and Implant Dentistry may need to extract them.
• Wisdom Teeth- Wisdom teeth start erupting in our late teens or early twenties. In some cases, wisdom teeth can grow in perfectly straight, unpainful, and do not shift teeth and do not cause trouble. But in most cases, wisdom teeth grow in crooked and start pushing your other teeth, causing a misalignment. This is not an ideal situation. We remove wisdom teeth all the time, whether they have grown in or they are still impacted underneath the gum line, we can remove them simply or surgically. It is often recommended to have your wisdom teeth extracted before they start growing in. Even if your wisdom teeth are fully grown in and have caused you no trouble, they may cause you trouble in the future as they become more susceptible to infection in your mid to later years.