

At Transcendent Smiles, our goal is and always will be to save teeth first, not remove them, whenever possible. No dental restoration, no matter how high-quality, can replace the real thing, which is why we always encourage regular preventive care for our patients. However, there are instances where removing a tooth is the only option for protecting your oral health going forward. If this ends up being the case, we’ll always explain why in great detail and go over every step of treatment so you can be prepared.
Tooth removal is always seen as a last resort. However, there are many instances where it’s the best treatment to protect your smile and oral health. For example, if a tooth is severely damaged by decay and cannot be restored with a dental crown, removing it works to stop discomfort and prevent the spread of decay to other neighboring teeth. In other cases, a tooth damaged by injury may be too fractured to save, especially if the damage reached the root. In rarer cases, teeth may need removal to make room for orthodontics.
The way we approach tooth removal depends on the condition your tooth is in. For example, if the tooth is easily visible, we only need to gently rock it back and forth with a dental elevator to remove it from the periodontal ligament holding it in place. Alternatively, teeth underneath gum tissue will require a small incision before removal. The tooth may also need to be broken into smaller pieces and removed that way, rather than all in one piece. Prior to treatment, we always ensure local anesthesia has fully numbed the treatment area and that your comfort needs are met.