Here’s one topic on which you and your dentist in La Crete probably agree: tooth extractions are a last resort. Every dentist near you will always do anything reasonably possible to eliminate the need to pull a tooth and to reverse any medical conditions threatening to undermine the structural integrity or health of a tooth or that tooth’s roots. Now, saying that tooth extractions in La Crete are a last resort does not mean that sometimes they’re not the right choice.
When a tooth extraction may be appropriate
There are four situations in which a dentist may recommend that you undergo tooth extractions near you.
If your tooth is rotten
Your dentist has several options for restoring strength to a badly damaged or weakened tooth (crowns, for example), but some teeth are just too rotten to be left in place. A tooth that is rotten and dying can become seriously infected to an extent it is beyond repair. Even worse, that infection can spread to affect other teeth adjacent to it. To eliminate the risk of putting other teeth at risk, your dentist may recommend that the rotted tooth be pulled.
If your mouth is severely crowded
The size and shape of people’s mouths and jaws vary from person to person. For many people, there simply isn’t enough room in your jaw to accommodate all of your teeth — adult teeth or wisdom teeth. Your dentist may recommend that wisdom teeth be extracted to eliminate the risk that those wisdom teeth would otherwise push your adult teeth out of alignment. Aside from wisdom teeth, your dentist may recommend that permanent teeth be extracted in order to make room for effective orthodontic treatment to correct misaligned teeth.
If you are suffering from serious periodontists
Serious periodontal disease in the form of periodontists will, unless effectively treated, destroy gum tissue and eventually cause tooth loss. While there are effective non-surgical and surgical alternatives for treating periodontists and to prevent loose teeth and tooth loss, serious gum disease may require the extraction of teeth to address and prevent the spread of infection.
The importance of pre-existing conditions
While tooth extractions are an understandably stressful experience for patients, they are a routine and straightforward procedure (although some cases can present more challenges than others). Routine as extractions are, however, they are a medical procedure that can, in rare cases, cause complications especially if patients are particularly vulnerable to complications. There are four situations in particular that increase that risk. Before undergoing any tooth extraction, advise your dentist if you suffer from any of these pre-existing conditions so that steps can be taken to protect your health:
- Any damage to your heart valves
- Liver disease
- Bacterial endocarditis
- Any medical condition that has suppressed or impaired your immune system
What happens at a tooth extraction?
This is a bit of a difficult question to answer in a vacuum for a couple of reasons: tooth extractions can be simple or complex; and every person’s medical and dental situation is very different based on any number of factors. Having said that, here are the core elements of every simple tooth extraction. Each of these steps is taken in every extraction, with other steps besides depending on the complexity of your needs:
First, your dentist will inject local anaesthesia into the area of your mouth to be treated. Your dentist will also describe sedation dentistry options if you experience significant dental anxiety or fear.
Second, your dentist will use forceps and other specialised implements to loosen and gently but firmly extract the tooth. This may happen in one piece or, in other situations, the tooth may need to be segmented into smaller pieces to be removed individually.
Third, your dentist will ensure that a blood clot forms in the socket — the extraction site. Once a blood clot has formed, your dentist will place gauze in and over the socket while instructing you to bite gently onto the gauze to apply pressure to prevent ongoing bleeding. Depending on the size and location of the extraction site, your dentist may place some self-dissolving stitches in the area to close your gum.
If you’re concerned about any symptoms you’re experiencing in your mouth, make an appointment with your dentist to allow an investigation of what is going on and to get advice about how to restore your oral health.