With the goal of your pet's oral health and comfort in mind, sometimes teeth are extracted. An extraction involves removing the crown and root(s) of a tooth. There are many reasons why a tooth might be extracted. Sometimes this a treatment for an extremely damaged tooth. Sometimes the tooth's roots are no longer sufficiently supported by healthy bone and tissues. Sometimes teeth are so crowded that extracting one or more teeth creates more room and opportunity to maintain oral health. Extraction of puppy or kitten teeth that remain in the mouth when adult teeth are present also helps reduce crowding and promotes oral health.
Left untreated, severly damaged, poorly supported, or crowded teeth are a potential source of pain and infection. When this happens, pets often avoid chewing near a diseased area in the mouth. This leads to additional plaque build up on the unhealthy and surrounding teeth. Over time, this worsens an animal's oral health imbalance as additional teeth become diseased. Because of this, it is important to have your veterinarian evaluate your pet's mouth and to periodically have your pet's teeth and their surrounding, supportive structures evaluated with a complete oral exam and full mouth dental radiographs. This permits detection and treatment of painful oral problems.