Exodontia

A dental extraction (also referred to as tooth extraction exodontia exodontics or informally tooth pulling) is the removal of teeth from the dental alveolus (socket) in the alveolar bone. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay periodontal disease or dental trauma especially when they are associated with toothache. Sometimes impacted wisdom teeth (wisdom teeth that are stuck and unable to grow normally into the mouth) cause recurrent infections of the gum (pericoronitis) and may be removed when other conservative treatments have failed (cleaning antibiotics and operculectomy). In orthodontics if the teeth are crowded healthy teeth may be extracted (often bicuspids) to create space so the rest of the teeth can be straightened.