Tooth Extraction in Kelowna
Tooth extractions in Kelowna: Apple Dental Care
The dentist at Apple Dental Care will make sure you’re comfortable before, during, and after your dental extraction procedure. This includes walking you through every step of the tooth extraction process, as well as the use of local anesthetics and sedation if needed.
Dental extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons. Tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration is the most frequent indication for extraction of teeth. Other indications are related to impacted or problematic wisdom teeth, and in some cases, also to make space for orthodontic treatment.
When Are Tooth Extractions Needed?
Most of the time, we try to preserve, restore, save, and repair your natural teeth with other procedures instead of removing them. However, if the damage is too severe, tooth extraction might be the best option.
Common reasons for tooth extraction include:
- Crowded teeth, especially when it is important to extract a tooth to make space for proper alignment of other teeth.
- Risk of infection due to gum disease
- Severe tooth decay leads to extensive damage to the pulp and nerves.
- If the roots of the tooth are cracked and cannot be repaired
Wisdom teeth removal
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, develop during the late teen or early adult years. The average mouth holds 28 adult teeth, and an additional four trying to squeeze in can cause issues.
While wisdom teeth do not always cause problems, in some cases they erupt in an unfavourable way due to a lack of space in the jaw. In these cases, the wisdom teeth have become “impacted,” which can lead to a host of undesirable consequences. When wisdom teeth go untreated, they can cause many issues. A common problem is impaction, which means that a tooth has become trapped beneath the gum. This can cause it to grow at an angle and shift multiple teeth out of alignment.
A wisdom tooth is difficult to clean around, making it prone to infection. Over time, it may decay or cause cysts to form around it. Wisdom teeth have large, unpredictable roots that can damage the roots of other teeth and nerves in the jaw.
Wisdom teeth can cause many other problems, such as:
- Ongoing bad breath due to infection
- Swelling and pain in the jaw
- Misalignment or shifting of your other teeth
- Damage to nearby nerves
If you or your child think it’s time to have wisdom teeth removed, call our office to schedule an appointment.