Regain your happy, healthy smile with precision, painless tooth removal … a guide

Generally, extractions are a dental procedure “of last resort.” Every effort is made by our team at the office of Douglas Hoppe DDS to keep teeth healthy and free of conditions such as severe fractures and deep dental decay. However, sometimes removal of a tooth is in the best interest of your oral health, overall health, and sustained well-being and quality of life. 

Preserving versus removing and replacing 

From our Eaton Rapids, Michigan office, Dr. Hoppe will evaluate the condition of troublesome teeth. Even teeth that are badly damaged by injury, trauma, or severe decay could be candidates for procedures such as root canal therapy followed by a durable dental crown. 

While RCT and other endodontic procedures have a high success rate in “saving” infected or severely damaged teeth, not all treated teeth may heal fully or properly. Also, not all teeth are good candidates for procedures that treat the innermost tooth structure (or dental pulp). In these and other cases, Dr. Hoppe would recommend removing the teeth, followed by prompt replacement with dental bridges, dentures, crowns, bridges, or dentures supported by “synthetic tooth roots” (dental implants). 

There is one exception to this rule of replacing teeth as soon as possible: impacted wisdom teeth. Due to modern diets and the evolutionary process, these third molars are no longer necessary for our health or function. However, they can still cause problems due to their late stage of eruption; often, by the time they try to break through the gums (in our late teens or early 20s), there is not enough room in the mouth for these teeth. 

They may become partially or fully trapped or “impacted” in the jaw. When this happens, intense pain may follow, and these molars may threaten the health of the surrounding teeth. We are proactive about monitoring the development of these molars. So, you can avoid undesirable symptoms like pain by getting ahead of the problem and removing the troublesome tooth. 

Do not delay to call us today! 

If you are experiencing a persistent toothache or jarring pain when biting down on food, visiting Dr. Hoppe as soon as possible is important. We may be able to preserve cracked or damaged teeth with fillings, inlays, onlays, and crowns. We also provide emergency services to get you out of pain and back to leading your fullest life in no time. 

Call (517) 667-7066 to schedule your appointment at the office of Douglas Hoppe DDS in Eaton Rapids, MI.