When Is Tooth Extraction Recommended?
Although tooth extraction is a routine procedure, it is only done when necessary. Our primary goal is to preserve your teeth and dental integrity, and as such, we provide treatments geared to maintaining your dental health. However, there are situations where the dentist may opt to remove your teeth to protect your remaining teeth and dental structure. In this post, we highlight some of the reasons and what you can expect during and after the procedure.
What is Tooth Extraction?
Tooth extraction is pulling the teeth, and it can be done using simple or surgical extraction. A simple extraction is done on visible teeth that lie above the gums. The dentist can pull the teeth with dental forceps, and the procedure lasts for about 30 minutes.
On the other hand, surgical extraction is done on teeth that lie beneath the gums and need to be broken into pieces for easy removal.
Why is Tooth Extraction Done?
The dentist can recommend tooth extraction in several situations that include:
1. Decayed teeth
The treatment for decayed teeth differs based on severity. For mild to moderate dental decay, the dentist can opt for dental fillings or a root canal to stop the spread of the infection. However, if your teeth are severely decayed, the dentist may need to perform an infected molar extraction to preserve the rest of the teeth.
2. Impacted teeth
Our teeth can get impacted when you lack enough space on the jaw to accommodate the teeth. Most of the affected teeth are wisdom teeth because they usually come out after the jaw has attained maturity. The teeth can get trapped beneath the gums, but sometimes they can partially emerge. Regardless of how these teeth come out, you may require wisdom teeth removal. Impacted teeth not only cause pain, but they also weaken your teeth.
3. Overcrowded teeth
Similar to the impacted teeth, your teeth can become overcrowded if you have narrow jaws. Overcrowded teeth can create a problem for your dental health because it is hard to clean the teeth properly. This gives room for plaques to accumulate, which increases the risk of dental decay.
Our dentist in Beverly Hills may perform a tooth extraction to pave the way for orthodontia. This is an alignment or orthodontic treatment is done to correct the positioning of the teeth.
4. Periodontal disease
Periodontal disease affects the gums causing them to recede. It also causes the formation of gum pockets that trap food particles and bacteria. This exposes the roots of the teeth and also affects the supporting bone. As a result, the dentist may perform a tooth extraction as part of the periodontal treatment to prevent further damage to the teeth.
Tooth extraction may also be done if the primary teeth do not fall off on time.
What Can You Expect During?
A tooth extraction procedure can take 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of extraction done. The dentist will first numb the gums to ease the discomfort. Conscious sedation is at times used during the procedure to keep you calm.
For a simple extraction, the dentist will use dental forceps to loosen the teeth and pull them out.
A surgical extraction involves opening the gums to remove the teeth. The dentist will break the teeth into pieces to make them easy to Next, thoracic. The gums are stitched to facilitate healing. Finally, the dentist will place a gauze pad to control bleeding.
What Can You Expect After?
Pain and discomfort are common experiences after the teeth are removed. You may also have soreness, bleeding, and swelling. These problems will clear out with a few days, but the dentist will prescribe medication to ease the pain and prevent infection.
After 24 hours, a blood clot will form on the socket to facilitate healing. It is important to protect the blood clot to keep it from breaking. When the clot breaks, you will have a dry socket that causes pain and slows down healing. Avoid drinking with a straw or rinsing the mouth too hard in the first few days.
Schedule an Appointment
Visit Implant Dentistry by Doc Rok for more information on tooth extraction and what you can expect.