Ideally, dentists want to help patients preserve their biological teeth whenever possible. However, in some cases, extensive decay or damage caused by injury renders the tooth unsalvageable. In those cases, it is in the patient’s best interest to proceed with tooth extraction quickly and move forward with a replacement tooth.
If decay is present, timely tooth extraction can prevent that decay from spreading and affecting neighboring teeth or even the underlying bone.
The sooner you undergo the tooth extraction, the sooner you can fill in the empty space, as well. Depending on the tooth replacement option you choose, you can restore full functionality to your smile, as well as a proper aesthetic, in a relatively short timeframe.
For example, if you work with a periodontist to get a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, you can undergo that surgery after the socket has healed sufficiently following the extraction.
The jawbone will form a bond with the implant after it is inserted into the jaw, and this process takes several months to finish. Although the implant can be fitted with a prosthetic crown before the osseointegration is fully complete, the device becomes a permanent structure in the jaw later.
Therefore, acting quickly to remove and replace a damage tooth can help you restore your smile’s appearance and function in a shorter timeframe, too.
The surgical procedure required for dental implants is performed in a convenient outpatient setting, and it is completed in just a few hours. Patients typically can return to their regular routines in a matter of days, so there may be minimal inconvenience associated with dental implant placement.
Delaying extraction of a damaged tooth (after it has been determined that the tooth must be removed) will also delay the process of replacing that tooth, and that can lead to negative outcomes. If extraction has been recommended in your case, work with our team of periodontists to learn more about dental implants and the benefits they offer after tooth extraction.
