How Will You Know If You Need Emergency Tooth Extraction?

For some people, tooth pain is bearable, and that this is normal to experience. However, there are certain situations that will put you in need of emergency tooth extraction. But how will you know if you need one? According to Dr. Haddon who works in a Bondi dental clinic, emergency dentistry caters to patients with severe and persistent toothaches.

Reasons For Emergency Tooth Extraction

Not all tooth pain needs emergency tooth extraction. Because most of the time, dentists will try to find a solution other than removing the affected tooth. If it’s still savable, other treatments will be considered. In emergency dentistry, they focus more on dental problems that have progressed in severe stages.

For example, those patients who don’t have proper dental care and good oral hygiene will most likely develop periodontal disease. Sadly, they don’t put too much attention to it until it’s too late for the teeth to be saved.

Here are the top reasons for emergency tooth extraction:

Trauma to the teeth

Emergency reasons are a huge factor. Trauma to the teeth is one of the most common reasons for tooth extraction. Oftentimes, this is due to sports injuries and accidents. Dentists decide if an emergency removal of the teeth is needed according to the severity of the damage. Other factors such as the location, kind of trauma, and strength of the teeth will also be considered.

To make this decision, your dentist will require a dental x-ray to see your entire dental structure. If he diagnosed that your situation is severe, and if tooth pain comes and goes frequently, there is nothing much left to do but to remove the teeth respectively.

To make way for orthodontic treatment

Tooth extraction is quite normal in orthodontics. Dentists do this to attain the best results as much as possible. There are cases where a particular tooth can interfere with the treatment, which is the reason why extraction might be needed. But this isn’t always the case if none of your teeth will affect the treatment, the procedure won’t be necessary.

Impacted wisdom tooth

Wisdom tooth typically erupts during teen years or early twenties. Lucky are some people who get to keep their wisdom teeth and do not feel any discomfort in its occurrence. Yet a lot of people have impacted wisdom teeth. Its when the jaws do not have enough space for another tooth, causing it to erupt incorrectly. Emergency wisdom tooth extraction is needed to prevent other teeth from misaligning.

Severe Periodontal Disease

Due to poor dental care, a lot of patients are suffering from periodontal disease.  Emergency tooth extraction is not always the first choice in resolving matters like this. The dentist will initially refer their patient to a periodontist for consultation. If the tooth is beyond saving, emergency dentistry might be recommended.

Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a pus that’s formed inside the teeth or gums. This is typically caused by bacterial infection due to poor oral care. Tooth pain is a common symptom of a dental abscess. Unfortunately, most people think that it is a normal thing to experience and disregard treatment. As time goes by, the dental abscess will progress and other complications will start to develop.

Crowded teeth

Overcrowding of the teeth has significant effects on the final looks of the teeth. It also has an effect on your facial appearance and might even have an impact on your confidence. Crowded teeth happen because the jaw cannot accommodate all the teeth that are about to erupt. To prevent this from happening, the dentist might require tooth extraction.

Extreme Cavities

Dental problems like cavities can cause pain and sensitivity altogether. But you are probably wondering if there are other ways for you to keep your tooth. Actually, there is! A root canal is the most popular treatment for cavities. In this treatment, your dentist will remove the pulp, clean the root, attach another material to the canal and place a crown to save and protect the tooth.

In some cases, the cavities are too severe that decay has already progressed. The dentist will examine if the tooth can still be saved, but if not, an extraction will be performed.

Signs And Symptoms

How will you know if you are a candidate for tooth extraction? It is hard to determine if your tooth pain is just temporary or if it’s a cause of underlying dental problems. You may opt for emergency dentistry if you are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Persistent tooth pain. Most of us will take over-the-counter medicines to alleviate the pain. Some of these medicines might work and reduce the pain for a few hours. But if the pain keeps on coming back, may it’s time for you to give your dentist a visit. It’s important to have this resolved immediately as intense tooth pain could interfere with your daily life and affect your performance at work or school.
• Swelling that gets worse. There are some home remedies to try for swelling gums. Saltwater, for example, is a traditional remedy used by many around the world. It can effectively reduce the pain caused by swelling but it does not guarantee that the condition will be treated. Gum swelling occurs due to bacterial infection, if it becomes worse despite home remedies, give your dentist a call.
• Broken tooth. Whatever the cause is, if your tooth gets damaged, bring yourself to the dentist immediately. If you are lucky enough, they might be able to save and restore it to its natural position. But if the damage is too much, an emergency tooth extraction will be required especially if there are still some parts of the tooth that are attached to the root. These pieces might harvest plaque and cause decay to the nearby teeth.

What To Expect

Tooth extraction is an invasive dental procedure. If you think that your tooth might be extracted on your visit, be prepared and bring a trusted friend with you. For your reference, here’s how a tooth removal usually goes down:

1. You will be injected with anesthetics. This is used to numb the extraction area and help you stay comfortable. Let your dentist know if you are taking any medications that might interfere with the effects of the local anesthetics.
2. Once you are ready, the dentist will make an incision to the gums. This will allow them to have a great view of what’s inside as well as the condition of the root.
3. The dentist will then proceed to cut the tooth into smaller pieces. This process is done to make the extraction procedure easier. The pieces will be removed gently one by one, making sure that the nearby teeth are not getting affected.
4. After the removal, the incision will be closed to prevent food particles and bacteria from getting in.

The anesthesia will wear off after a few hours that is why a friend is needed to drive you home. Aftercare instructions will also be given to you to make the recovery period faster.

Aftercare

• prevent extreme physical activities
• avoid hard to chew foods
• eat soft foods only
• take your prescribed medication
• use an ice pack to manage the pain
• take plenty of rest for at least 2 days
• rinse your mouth with a saltwater solution
• stay away from alcoholic beverages and cigarettes
• maintain oral care