I know those aren’t cheap either, but losing a molar can mess up your bite for years, like you said.
I get what you’re saying about saving a molar if it’s not infected, but what if the dentist can’t guarantee that a root canal or crown will last? My kid had a back tooth that looked fine on x-rays but kept bothering him, and after months of trying to save it, we ended up having it pulled anyway. I sometimes wonder if it would’ve been easier to just go for the extraction in the first place. Did anyone else have second thoughts about waiting too long to decide?
I sometimes wonder if it would’ve been easier to just go for the extraction in the first place. Did anyone else have second thoughts about waiting too long to decide?
All the time, honestly. I’ve got a molar that’s been through two root canals and a crown. Still sensitive, even after all that. My dentist keeps saying it *might* hold up, but can’t promise anything long-term. I keep thinking about just pulling it, but then I get paranoid about what that’ll do to my bite or if my other teeth will shift.
My kid had a similar thing with a baby molar—looked okay on x-rays, but it hurt for months. We tried fillings and even antibiotics, but nothing really helped. Ended up pulling it too. Felt like we wasted time (and money) trying to save it, and he was miserable the whole time.
I always second guess if I should’ve just gone for extraction sooner instead of dragging out the process. But then again, you hear so much about how losing a molar messes with chewing and jaw alignment, and that freaks me out too. It’s like there’s no perfect answer.
I worry a lot about making the wrong decision and having regrets later—especially when dentists can’t guarantee how long a fix will last. Wish it was more clear-cut, you know?
I keep thinking about just pulling it, but then I get paranoid about what that’ll do to my bite or if my other teeth will shift.
Totally relate to that. I had a molar pulled before I started braces, and honestly, the shifting thing was real for me—my teeth moved around way more than I expected. My orthodontist kept saying, “We’ll make it work,” but I still worry sometimes if it was the right call. But waiting it out with pain wasn’t great either. Kind of feels like you’re stuck picking between two not-so-great options, right?
We ran into this with my daughter last year—she had to have a baby molar pulled before her adult tooth was even close to coming in. I was nervous about her teeth shifting, too. Her dentist explained that sometimes when you remove a regular tooth (not wisdom), especially toward the back, the others can drift or tilt into that space if you don’t do something to keep them in line. They ended up putting in a little “spacer” for her, which looked kind of like a tiny metal band, just so everything would stay put until the new tooth came in.
Wisdom teeth were a different story for my older son. Those came out and he didn’t need anything special—no shifting or bite problems at all. I guess it depends on which tooth and your age, but I get why you’d hesitate. Leaving a painful tooth in isn’t really an option, but I wish there was always a perfect answer for what comes after. It’s all trade-offs, honestly...
Trouble After Wisdom Teeth Removal Vs Regular Tooth Extraction—What’s Worse?
That’s a really common worry, honestly—teeth shifting after a regular extraction can be a bigger deal than most folks expect, especially with those baby molars or even adult premolars and molars. Spacers are pretty much the go-to for kids in that situation, but I’ve seen adults get thrown off too if they lose a tooth and don’t do anything about it. The rest of your teeth are like nosy neighbors—they just can’t leave an empty spot alone for long.
Wisdom teeth are kind of their own beast. Most of the time, there’s no shifting because they’re so far back and often not even fully in line with the bite to begin with. But every now and then, you’ll get someone whose wisdom tooth was actually helping support the bite (rare, but it happens), and then things can feel a little weird after removal. Usually, though, people are just relieved to have them out—less pain, less crowding, less drama.
I do have to say, when it comes to regular extractions (not wisdom), people are often surprised by how much moving can happen over time. I’ve had patients who lost a lower molar and thought, “Eh, it’s way in the back, no biggie,” but then a year later their upper tooth started dropping down into the space. That can mess up chewing and even make it harder to clean between teeth. Sometimes a simple spacer or partial denture makes all the difference… but yeah, it’s never a perfect science.
Pain-wise? Wisdom teeth can be rough for a few days (especially if they’re impacted), but regular extractions sometimes end up being trickier in the long run because of all the shifting and bite changes. It’s kind of like comparing apples to oranges though—depends on your age, which tooth, and how your mouth is set up.
Anyone else ever regret not dealing with a missing back tooth sooner? I always wonder if people notice little changes or just adapt over time...
