A tooth extraction may be necessary for many reasons, including severe damage or decay. One of the most common dental procedures, a tooth extraction can eliminate bacteria and improve your overall oral health.

Healthcare providers prefer to save natural teeth whenever possible. But sometimes, other restorative methods — such as dental fillings or dental crowns — aren’t enough. If your tooth has been badly damaged past the point of repair, then removal may be necessary.

Your dentist may recommend tooth extraction if you have :

Severe tooth decay (cavities).

A fractured tooth.

An impacted tooth.

Crowded teeth.

Severe gum disease.

Tooth luxation or other dental injuries.

WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last permanent teeth to appear (erupt) in the mouth. These teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Some people never develop wisdom teeth. For others, wisdom teeth erupt normally — just as their other molars did — and cause no problems.

Many people develop impacted wisdom teeth — teeth that don't have enough room to erupt into the mouth or develop normally. Impacted wisdom teeth may erupt only partially or not at all.

An impacted wisdom tooth may :

Grow at an angle toward the next tooth (second molar).

Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth.

Grow at a right angle to the other teeth, as if the wisdom tooth is "lying down" within the jawbone.

Grow straight up or down like other teeth but stay trapped within the jawbone.

Problems with impacted wisdom teeth

You'll likely need your impacted wisdom tooth pulled if it results in problems such as :

Pain

Trapping food and debris behind the wisdom tooth

Infection or gum disease (periodontal disease)

Tooth decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth

Damage to a nearby tooth or surrounding bone

Development of a fluid-filled sac (cyst) around the wisdom tooth

Complications with orthodontic treatments to straighten other teeth

Therefore, it is always advisable to remove the wisdom teeth at the earliest to prevent any future complications.