Tooth extraction involves the complete removal of a tooth from the socket. It becomes a necessity in situations when the tooth is decayed, broken, excessively worn out, weak, or during orthodontic treatment. However, in most cases, dentists try their best to save a badly infected or damaged tooth by restoring it. But, if no option can save the tooth, it will have to be extracted to avoid the possible complications in the future.
When Is A Tooth Extraction Required?
Cavities:Cavities are the major cause behind tooth extractions. When a tooth undergoes decay, the infection can spread to the inner layers of the tooth and even infect the root pulp. In most cases, a tooth can be restored by disinfecting it and applying a filling to it. But, when the decay is untreatable, the tooth will have to be extracted.
Orthodontics: When you are suffering from malocclusion, your dentist would suggest dental braces or Invisalign to getting rid of the condition. For this, a tooth will have to be removed from either side of the jaws to make space for the movement of the teeth.
External trauma: When you sustain a hard blow to the mouth, which can happen due to a bad fall or a sports-related injury, the teeth may chip, fracture, or break. In such cases, the dentist would try to fix it using restorations such as crowns or veneers. But, when the extent of damage is too much, it will have to be removed.
Malocclusion: Crowding of teeth is a common type of malocclusion where the teeth are spaced too close to each other. This ruins the aesthetics of the smile and makes brushing and flossing quite difficult. A tooth or two may have to be removed in such cases.
Impacted teeth: An impacted tooth is one that gets stuck in the socket of the jawbone and wouldn’t emerge fully. This situation can get pretty painful and even lead to infections. An impacted tooth will have to be extracted, either wholly or after dissecting into parts, to get rid of the pain and discomfort.
Procedure
Getting a tooth extracted is one of the simplest dental procedures. The dentist would clean the teeth to make sure microbes do not enter the site of extraction. Local anesthesia will be given to the gums to numb the soft tissues, teeth, and the jawbone as well. Once the anesthesia starts to take effect, the tooth will be gripped using forceps. It will be pulled off in one swift motion and you would just feel a sensation of pressure.
You will be asked to bite into a piece of gauze in order to control the bleeding. Once the clot is formed, the dentist may suggest a pain-relieving medication. Care must be taken to see that the clot isn’t dislodged while brushing or eating food.
Call Dentist Aurora IL at (630) 897-1300 or schedule an online appointment to know more about getting a tooth extracted.