When dentists perform any dental treatment or procedure on their patients, there is always an ultimate goal they aim to which is saving the tooth whatever it takes, and that is why they try to do everything they can do to keep it and protect it (including a dental crown, root canal, fillings, and other procedures), but sometimes, some teeth might be so damaged and decayed that there are no other solutions your dentist can take to kill the pain other than extracting your tooth.

Tooth extraction includes a total removal from its socket, and that is what makes it the last option because once it’s pulled, you, unfortunately, lose one of your teeth forever.

So, how can your dentist decide whether to keep it or not? Here are the top signs and causes of why a tooth can’t be saved anymore.

Signs

Infection of a Tooth

As you know, it is always recommended to visit your dental clinic once you feel toothache, have an infection, or impaction in order to immediately deal with your problem, but sometimes, some patients skip going to their dentist which makes the problem exacerbated.

Once your dental problem is out of control, you will feel intense pain, you can not chew or bite, and your dentist will have to extract the tooth right away to stop the infection from spreading and damaging the other teeth.

Another solution is to take antibiotics and replace your infected tooth with dental implants, crowns, or bridges.

Severe Tooth Decay

Tartar and plaque cause tooth decay, and when not treated they erode the enamel of the teeth and weaken them.

If it gets worse, you’ll develop an infection that causes pain, swelling, and redness. So when your teeth reach this point, it’s critical to remove the tooth completely and replace it with a dental bridge to avoid further concerns.

Trauma or Accident

If you have been in an accident, then immediate medical intervention is needed, and you probably need to pull your damaged tooth. If the dentist says you can save the tooth via dental veneer, bonding, or crown, then it’s your lucky day.

In case the condition was serious, you are going to, unfortunately, have your tooth extracted.

Teeth Overcrowding

Tooth impaction causes crowding that may lead to poor alignment. Removing teeth that have issues at the back of your mouth opens up space for the rest of the teeth to spread out as needed, which keeps your smile straight without the need for braces!

Process

We know how much it is terrible for all patients to lose a tooth, and how much it is an intimidating procedure for them, but sometimes it is necessary, and that’s in order to save all the other teeth and maintain your dental health, and although it’s no walk in the park, it’s not as terrible as you think.

• Once you are in the clinic, your dentist will sedate you to have an easy, gentle, quick, and smooth extraction process. No need to panic, cause the area will be numbed and you will not feel any pain and you are going to be comfortable and relaxed.
• The dentist will grasp the tooth, wiggle, and pull it gently and quickly at the same time, and after that, he/she will clean the area and put gauze on it to stop the

bleeding.

Types

Simple Extraction & Surgical Extraction

• Simple extractions are usually performed when the tooth appears above the gum line and the dentist can remove it easily with forceps. Simple extractions are usually performed under local anesthesia.
• Surgical extractions are performed when the tooth is not easily accessible. This happens when it has not erupted completely or when a tooth has broken through below the gum line, so your dentist will need to remove gum tissue and sometimes bone to extract it.

Here you need a surgical extraction under general anesthesia.

Instructions

A blood clot forms to stop the bleeding and then the healing process begins.

You can speed up the healing process by keeping the tooth extraction site in particular and the mouth in general as clean as possible and refraining from smoking.

What you need to do is:

• Have plenty of rest.
• Avoid brushing your teeth.
• Take painkillers when needed (like ibuprofen).
• Put an ice pack on your face in the area where the tooth was extracted, and repeat that for 15 minutes every time.
• Eat only gelatin, yogurt, apple juice, and anything else that doesn’t need to be chewed.

So don’t worry if you need to have your tooth removed surgically because, with today’s modern procedures and anesthesia, the extraction process will provide you with better oral health in the long run.

It is always essential to follow your dentist’s instructions after the procedure and to call him/her if you have any persistent pain or bleeding.

Take good care of your teeth, and always remember to smile.

Authour: Dr. Nabil Mockbil from Swedish Dental Clinic in Dubai Marina