Pull a molar

Introduction

Caries, pain or the breaking off of a molar tooth can lead to the fact that a tooth can no longer be preserved. The “extraction” of a molar means that one of the large molars is removed from its socket, complete with crown and roots. The treatment creates a wound at this point, which usually heals without complications within the next two weeks. Afterwards, there is a gap between two teeth or a so-called free-end situation when the last tooth in a row has been extracted. This gap can be treated afterwards.

Reasons at a glance

If the cheek tooth is extensively destroyed or damaged and can no longer be preserved, it must be extracted. These causes come into question:

  • Deep, untreated caries
  • Trauma (molar is severely broken)
  • Untreated periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium)
  • High degree of loosening (tongue can move the tooth)
  • Aggravated rupture of a wisdom tooth
  • Inflammation of the tooth root (apical periodontitis)
  • Molar lies in the fracture gap of a broken jaw
  • Lowered position

Reasons in detail

There are several reasons that make the extraction of a tooth unavoidable. Caries or trauma can destroy a (cheek) tooth to such an extent that its preservation is impossible and the only therapy is to extract the tooth. A strong loosening due to periodontitis can also be the cause.

If the tooth is already so loose that it can already be moved by the force of the tongue, the cheek tooth often cannot be saved. Even in the case of so-called apical periodontitis, i.e. inflammation of the tooth root, there is no other treatment option, depending on the degree of severity. Before radiation or chemotherapy, the indication must be much more severe.

Teeth that cannot be preserved or can only be preserved with great effort should definitely be extracted beforehand. They can cause major problems if they are removed later – during or after radiation. If a cheek tooth lies in the fracture gap of a jaw fracture, it must be removed when the fracture is treated, otherwise it can cause an infection of the wound.

Even if a wisdom tooth, also called “dentitio difficilis”, is difficult to break through, the tooth must be considered for extraction. Here too, an inflammation can quickly develop. If a tooth is broken off, the location of the break is very important in terms of the chances of recovery.

If only a piece of the crown (the part of the tooth that is visible in the mouth above the gums) is broken off, it can usually be filled again. However, if the tooth already wobbles or is broken far below the gums, it will usually have to be extracted. In order to determine the exact extent of the fracture, an X-ray is taken. If the fracture or the crack spreads to the root, the chances of healing vary greatly. Sometimes the tooth can no longer be held.