Tooth Extraction: When It’s Needed & What to Expect

Using a local anesthetic, your dentist or oral surgeon numbs the area around the tooth. They may also use sedation to make you feel more relaxed and sleepy during the procedure.

After the procedure, they will place a layer of gauze over the surgical area. Biting firmly on this gauze for 30 minutes helps control bleeding and oozing. You should change the gauze periodically as it gets soaked in blood.

Tooth decay

Tooth decay is a dental condition that can lead to tooth loss if not treated early. It occurs when bacteria in dental plaque break down sugars and produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. This leads to tooth enamel erosion, causing the formation of a cavity or hole in the tooth. The bacteria can then reach the dentin, which is softer and more prone to decay and infection.

In its earliest stages, tooth decay often causes no symptoms. However, a dental team may be able to spot it during routine dental exams or X-rays. If left untreated, the decay can eat through the enamel and dentin, eventually reaching the pulp in the center of the tooth. This can cause pain or sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks.

Visiting your dental practitioner regularly and brushing 2 times per day with fluoride toothpaste can help prevent tooth decay and cavities. You can also use interdental brushes or floss to remove food debris and plaque from between your teeth and where they meet the gums.

Impacted tooth

A tooth becomes impacted when it fails to fully erupt or gets stuck in the jaw. It may also come in at the wrong angle and crowd other teeth. An impacted tooth can trap food and plaque, leading to gum disease or bad breath (periodontitis). It may also create a deep socket that can lead to tooth decay and infection.

Dental x-rays can help identify a partially or fully impacted tooth. A thorough patient evaluation is essential to determine the need for tooth extraction Bowling Green KY.

If the impacted tooth is not causing symptoms, your dentist may recommend monitoring the site instead of removing it. However, if it is causing pain or swelling, your dentist will most likely recommend tooth extraction. This can be done at the dentist’s office under local anaesthetic, intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia. Antibiotics may be prescribed before the procedure to prevent infection. In some cases, an oral surgeon may be required to perform the extraction.

Infected root canal

An infected root canal is a dental dilemma that requires prompt treatment to prevent further complications and tooth loss. The root canal procedure involves drilling into the tooth to eliminate the dead nerve, clean the area and fill it with gutta-percha, a latex-based polymer.

But if bacteria sneak in and cause infection, the tooth may develop a dental abscess, which is a pus-filled pocket around the root tip. This is a source of severe pain, bad breath and is visible as an enlarged red bump or pimple on the gum. A foul-smelling liquid may also seep out of the abscess.

Some common signs of a root canal infection include sensitivity to hot and cold substances, persistent tooth pain, swelling and tenderness of the gum tissue surrounding the affected tooth and an increase in exhaustion (a sign that your body is fighting off infections). Your dentist will diagnose the severity of the infection using X-ray images to detect hidden areas where infection could have occurred.

Severe gum disease

Severe gum disease is a major risk factor for tooth loss. However, treating the infection early with scaling and root planing, oral antibiotics and other non-invasive therapies can halt progression and save the teeth.

While the symptoms of advanced gum disease like pain, swelling and bleeding are bad enough on their own, they can also lead to more serious health problems. Having untreated gum disease is linked to heart disease, diabetes and other systemic conditions.

The bacterial infection and inflammation in the mouth and gums can worsen gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or colon cancer, and may be an underlying cause of mental health issues including depression. This is why it’s so important to visit the dentist twice a year and maintain good oral hygiene habits to catch any problems before they escalate. However, if gum disease has already reached an advanced stage, then tooth extraction Bowling Green KY might be necessary to keep your other teeth healthy and prevent further complications.