The dental industry always tries to repair a tooth that is broken or damaged by decay with a filling, crown, or other dental treatment. Sometimes, the damage is simply too severe to repair, and Riverside Dental Center must resort to a tooth extraction.

Here are a few reasons tooth extraction could be necessary:

• Injury or trauma- Accidents will happen, and when it involves a tooth, it can be extremely painful. Riverside Dental Center will repair damaged teeth with a dental filling placed in the cracks or fractures that were caused by the injury. These cracks need to be filled to prevent infection from spreading, and to prevent decay. If a filling will not suffice, we may suggest a dental crown to cover the entire tooth above the gum line. If neither option will work to prevent decay from spreading, our team will extract the tooth to prevent further damage.
• Decay or infection- Inside every natural tooth there is living soft tissue called the pulp that is connected to the nerves and blood vessels of our tooth. When the tooth is damaged it can infect the pulp. If the pulp becomes infected, it can cause serious toothache pain. Often these infected teeth can be preserved by our team by performing a root canal.
• Gum Disease- One of the primary reasons for tooth loss is periodontal disease. This is gum disease that causes the gums to pull away from the teeth when there is an excessive amount of plaque or tartar build up under the gums. By detaching they create pockets that also become infected. This is when your gums becoming swollen, red and bleed often. If left untreated, the connectivity tissue that stabilize your teeth will lose their hold. In some cases, your teeth will begin to loosen and Riverside Dental Center may need to extract them.
• Lack of Space- Orthodontic treatment may require tooth extraction to create more room for the teeth as they are realigned.