Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3811 Request Appointment (734) 662-1113

Tooth Extractions For Pain Management

At Greashaber Dentistry, we never take the extraction of a tooth lightly. Research has shown that it is far more beneficial to keep natural teeth whenever possible. We will always recommend a restorative approach as a first option. However, there are circumstances when extraction may be necessary. Our team can evaluate your needs and discuss varying options to improve your pain management and oral health, which may include the extraction or removal of a tooth.

In decades past, it was much more common to have teeth simply yanked when they became problematic. It’s a fast and seemingly less expensive option. The problem is, in many circumstances, other problems arise. Missing teeth, whether from tooth loss or extraction, leave room for neighboring teeth to roam, which adjusts the bite, causes bone atrophy and can cause changes in speech, diet, and wear on the remaining teeth. The extraction of a tooth should always be completed with a plan.

We may recommend the removal of a tooth when the tooth is:

•	Unhealthy: A tooth that is severely decayed or diseased may be beyond restoration. When restoring a large amount of damage, we may suggest a dental crown, but there still needs to be enough healthy enamel to attach the crown to, this is not always the case. The best course of action for a severely diseased tooth may be extraction.
•	Impacted: An impacted tooth is a tooth that is unable to fully extend from the gum tissue. This is often due to insufficient space. Wisdom teeth are often subject to extraction due to being impacted. In most cases, the extraction of wisdom teeth is the best course of action.
•	Multiple: A common dental problem is the growth or development of multiple teeth in a space. This is commonly seen in cuspids, also known as eye teeth. Patients may have two of the same position tooth fighting for space and the extraction of one is needed to improve the bite and reduce the incidence of one, or both, developing disease.
•	Fractured: A fractured or broken tooth can often be restored with dental bonding or a crown, but sometimes a tooth is fractured so severely that there is not enough tooth structure to restore. We will need to extract the tooth to save the patient from pain and disease.
•	Preventing Orthodontics: An orthodontist may request the removal of a tooth to improve spacing or alignment of your other teeth. The difference in this type of extraction is the post extraction controlled movement of neighboring teeth. An orthodontist has a plan to improve the overall health of your teeth and extraction is part of the plan.

Extraction of a Tooth

There are two main ways to extract a tooth, non-surgical and surgical. A non-surgical extraction is completed using an elevating tool designed to help lift the tooth out of the socket and then forceps to pull it fully out. If a tooth is difficult to reach, fractured, or otherwise compromised, we will want to remove it using a surgical extraction. We remove teeth surgically by first quartering the tooth and then making small cuts in the tissue to remove the pieces. This is followed by a few sutures in the tissue.

For more information on dental extractions, contact our Ann Arbor office at (734) 662-1113.

Tooth Extractions for Pain Management • Dentist Ann Arbor, MI
At Greashaber Dentistry, we never take the extraction of a tooth lightly. Research has shown that it is far more beneficial to keep natural teeth whenever possible.
Greashaber Dentistry, 1119 Packard Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 / (734) 662-1113 / greashaberdentistry.com / 4/2/2024 / Associated Words: dentist Ann Arbor /

Tooth Extractions For Pain Management

Extraction of a Tooth

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