Does Extracting Teeth Fix Gum Disease?

After years of skipping dental visits, you’ve finally returned. Over that time, you’ve developed gum disease, a serious condition that not only impairs your smile but also your overall health, but now you’re treating it and trying to make up for lost time. Unfortunately, your dentist says that you need to have some teeth extracted.

When your teeth are removed, you think that’s the end of it. Will extracting your teeth fix gum disease? What else needs to be done to restore your smile? Keep reading to find out!

How Gum Disease Sometimes Necessitates Tooth Extraction

In early stages, gum disease affects just the gum tissue, turning it red and puffy. However, in more advanced cases, the gum tissue pulls away from the tooth, creating deep spaces where inflammation-causing bacteria can attach to tooth roots. As the condition worsens, the disease spreads to the jawbone, eroding the tissue. At some point, the jawbone is unable to support teeth and provide stability, leading to loose teeth.  

When the infection has already done significant bone damage, it is often deemed necessary to surgically remove the tooth before it comes out on its own. At least in surgery, you and your dentist can reduce your risk of further infection in a controlled setting.

Does Extraction Help Treat Gum Disease?

Although extraction may be part of your overall treatment plan, the procedure itself doesn’t necessarily treat gum disease. When the tooth is removed, bacteria don’t have as much surface to hold onto, but the infection can still be present in the gums and bone tissue. That’s why antibiotics, whether oral or topical, are often prescribed in conjunction with deep pocket cleanings. Typically, gum disease treatment requires several appointments every three to four months until bacteria are well under control.

How to Overcome Gum Disease

Even if you’ve suffered tooth loss as a result of gum disease, hope is not lost for your smile. You can regain confidence and function. After controlling the bacteria, you can rebuild the tissue that has become degraded through grafts. Bone grafts reestablish the support necessary for replacement teeth, and gum grafts help the soft tissues recover tooth roots. Although there are other options available, if you choose to use dental implants to restore your smile’s strength, the posts integrate with the bone, just like a real tooth root, giving you additional security in your replacement teeth.

Although your dentist would prefer not to extract teeth, it is sometimes an important step on the road to recovery. Through the right therapies and treatment, you can leave gum disease behind you and start fresh with your new smile. In the future, however, be sure to visit your dentist more often to prevent the disease from coming back!

About the Practice

In West Seneca, Applegate Dental has four highly skilled and experienced dentists on staff who can perform advanced procedures, such as tooth extraction, gum disease therapy, and dental implant placement. If you have gum disease to address or loose permanent teeth that may need to be extracted, reach out to Applegate Dental online or call the office at 716-668-4646.