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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

Surgical Tooth Extractions: When Do They Become Necessary

Teeth that are diseased, decaying, or fractured are often extracted at dental offices. Surgery may be necessary for tooth impaction, but this is different for most. To keep your teeth healthy and avoid issues, you must know when to get them surgically removed.

Major Cases to Go for Surgical Tooth Extractions

  • Impacted Wisdom Teeth:
    In most cases, impacted wisdom teeth need surgical extraction. Issues could develop when the space for the wisdom teeth to erupt and align correctly is inadequate. Discomfort, swelling, and infection are possible signs of a wisdom tooth impaction. Surgical removal of the impacted teeth is necessary to prevent the situation from worsening.
  • Noticeable Damage to Teeth:
    A surgical extraction may be required if the tooth’s condition worsens or the damage is permanent. Possible causes include trauma, significant decay, or untreated cavities. It may be necessary to extract the tooth surgically to alleviate discomfort and prevent infection if non-surgical treatments, like fillings or crowns, are unsuccessful in saving the tooth.
  • Orthodontic Treatment for Crowded Teeth:
    To accommodate orthodontic treatment, it may be necessary to extract teeth. Biting problems and misalignment caused by crowding can be remedied with various orthodontic procedures, including braces. When getting braces, surgical tooth extraction may be necessary to make room for the replacement teeth.
  • Orthognathic Surgery in the Future:
    Orthognathic surgery, often called corrective jaw surgery, is an oral surgery that tries to realign the jaws and alter the bite pattern when necessary. The jaw must be properly aligned before orthognathic surgery involving tooth extractions. After orthognathic surgery, surgical tooth extraction is sometimes necessary for the greatest results and stability.
  • Failed Efforts at Extraction:
    However, in extremely rare occasions, issues such as tooth shape, root curvature, or insufficient access might lead to a failed or incomplete tooth impaction. The remaining tooth fragments or roots may need to be surgically removed if the consequences are severe enough, like infection or damage to the surrounding tissues.

Taking Care of Your Teeth and Gums

Surgical tooth extractions are occasionally performed to lessen the likelihood of future oral health issues. Extraction may be necessary if a tooth has had extensive damage, such as a deep fracture or crack. You also need it if the condition has persisted for a long period and could spread to other teeth or tissues.

Surgical extractions aim to preserve good dental health and prevent the need for more invasive operations in the future. It will allow them to extract damaged or rotting teeth before they cause further damage. Surgical extractions may be necessary for various reasons, including but not limited to impacted wisdom teeth.

  • Extensive damage or decay.
  • The necessity of orthodontic treatment.
  • The preparation for orthognathic surgery.
  • Unsuccessful extraction attempts.
  • The mitigation of oral health complications.

What Else Do Dentists Perform During Surgical Extractions?

When your dentist takes out a tooth, they might use a special patch to keep your jawbone strong. This patch helps prevent the bone from shrinking and keeps your gum nice and even. Since there aren’t any big blood vessels in your tooth sockets, bleeding shouldn’t be too bad. But the dentist will still give you gauze to bite on to slow it down even more.

After your tooth is out, you might feel a little dizzy from the medicine. So it’s best to have someone take you home instead of driving yourself. Your dentist will also give you tips on how to take care of yourself so you heal up quickly and feel better soon!

Conclusion

If you are experiencing swelling that won’t go away or any other issue like tooth impaction, it is recommended that you consult an oral surgeon for more information regarding surgical extraction. If you have any of these symptoms, this will outline what to do next. Immediate attention can reduce discomfort, prevent more problems, and protect your oral health.