There are times when it is necessary to have a tooth removed. Sometimes a baby tooth is just stubborn, and the tooth must be removed to make way for the permanent tooth to erupt.  Other times are:  to get the best orthodontic result, to eliminate gum infection or decay in wisdom teeth, or if any tooth is hopeless due to decay, fracture, gum disease or abscess.

When it is determined that a tooth needs to be removed, we may extract the tooth in our office, or we may refer you to a specialist partner for the best care.  This could be for deep sedation, treatment of infection, removal of badly decayed teeth, placement of bone graft or immediate replacement with an implant, or removal of a difficult tooth.

The root of each tooth is encased within your jawbone in a socket and your tooth is held in that socket by many tiny ligaments. The ligaments are separated as atraumatically as possible using different instruments depending upon the situation.

Once a tooth has been removed, neighboring teeth may shift, causing problems with chewing, your bite or with your jaw joint function. To avoid these complications, we may recommend that you replace the extracted tooth.  We will explain your options to you and discuss the process, benefits and costs for each situation.