Many times when dentists talk about extractions, they’re referring to impacted wisdom teeth, which can cause discomfort, inflammation, infection, and even decay as they come into the mouth and push against other teeth. In cases like this—or in more extreme cases, where cysts develop around the wisdom teeth and jeopardize the health of the jaw bone—extraction will be the only viable option.
But when it comes to teeth other than your wisdom teeth, performing a tooth extraction is something that Dr. Posen would consider only after doing everything else possible to save the tooth, including root canal therapy. If the tooth has been traumatized, is badly decaying, or there is excessive loss of bone around the tooth due to periodontal disease and the tooth is very mobile, then the dentist may seriously consider removing the tooth to preserve the health of the teeth surrounding it, as well as your entire mouth.