How A Dental Extraction Can Improve Your Oral Health

KEEP YOUR SMILE HEALTHY BY LOSING A TOOTH
If you’re young, you probably enjoyed wiggling a loose tooth and when it came out, you get tooth fairy money. Sadly, as soon as you have all your permanent teeth, losing a tooth is much less fun. There are several reasons why you may need a tooth extraction to improve your oral health, such as an impacted tooth, to avoid overcrowding, or an injured tooth. Though an extraction may not be ideal, it’s no longer as scary or painful as it used to be. With modern techniques and lots of sedation options, DentalWorks – Eastwood Niles makes extractions a little easier in the event you need it. Our dental team in Niles, OH will thoroughly evaluate the tooth or teeth prior to suggesting an extraction. If a tooth needs to be extracted, our team works hard to ensure you stay comfortable from beginning to end. In case you might need a tooth extracted to maintain the health and appearance of your smile, read on to learn about the two main techniques of extractions and common reasons a tooth or teeth may need to be pulled.

TWO TYPES OF EXTRACTIONS
There are a number of explanations as to why a tooth may need to be removed. The cause will first be determined by your dental team at DentalWorks – Eastwood Niles and then they will decide what type of extraction best fits your needs. To fit most cases, there are two types of dental extractions:

  • SURGICAL EXTRACTION
    A surgical extraction is used when the tooth has not fully broken through the gumline, so an incision in the gums is necessary to reach the tooth. If needed, the tooth could be cut into multiple pieces. Extraction surgery is generally used to remove impacted teeth or overcrowded teeth, like the wisdom teeth.
  • SIMPLE EXTRACTION
    A dentist may perform a simple extraction when the tooth is visible above the gumline. The tooth may be loosened with a tool called an elevator before the crown and root are removed from the jawbone and gums. This method is generally used when a tooth is infected, severely decayed, or not able to be saved.

COMMON REASONS TO GET A TOOTH OR TEETH EXTRACTED
There are a few reasons you might need to get a tooth or teeth extracted. One of the most common reasons people in Niles, OH will need a dental extraction is to remove their wisdom teeth before an impaction occurs. These are a few of the other common reasons you may need an extraction:

  • IMPACTED TOOTH
    When a tooth is impacted, it means there is some sort of blockage keeping the tooth from erupting through the gums. An impacted tooth could be blocked by a primary (baby) tooth that hasn’t naturally fallen out or it is developing in the wrong direction and is blocked by another tooth. Depending on the source of the impaction, your dentist may recommend a simple or surgical extraction to remove the blockage or impacted tooth.
  • INJURY
    Accidents happen and unfortunately, sometimes our teeth are affected. While the first choice is always to try and preserve the tooth, it may just not be possible. Whether the trauma is because of a car accident or maybe a sports accident, patients in Niles, OH should schedule an appointment with their dentist if there is an injury to the mouth. In some cases, the damage is not visible.
  • NOT ENOUGH ROOM
    Before a person is able to start an orthodontic treatment, a tooth or teeth may need to be extracted if there is not enough space for all the teeth. An orthodontic treatment is meant to move your teeth in the right alignment and space, which may require pulling one or more teeth so the others have room. Overcrowded teeth are usually removed with a simple extraction technique.
  • SEVERE DECAY OR DAMAGE
    Cavities that aren’t addressed in time may spread to the pulp within the tooth. Although a root canal could be used to save the tooth, if the decay is too severe to save the tooth, it may need to be extracted. A simple extraction can stop the decay and infection from getting into your other teeth, jaw, gums, and eventually, your bloodstream.
  • WISDOM TEETH
    Your third set of molars, more typically known as the wisdom teeth, will probably need to be pulled. The modern human jaw normally isn’t able to fit these extra teeth, so if they start to erupt from the gumline (in most people, during the late teens and early twenties), your dentist will recommend a surgical extraction. It’s important to get your wisdom teeth extracted as soon as possible before the teeth are impacted or infected. However, not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth pulled out. Occasionally, people don’t develop all four or any at all!

WHAT WILL MY RECOVERY BE LIKE AFTER AN EXTRACTION?
Following an extraction, it is very important to adhere to your dentist’s post-procedure instructions. A simple extraction will typically need less recovery time than a surgical extraction, but it will depend on your case. You might be given a prescription for antibiotics to help avoid an infection and pain medication. You may want to stick to a soft foods or liquid diet for the first few days when your mouth is still tender and healing. This is a fantastic opportunity to eat a little extra ice cream but also try to get a balanced diet with protein shakes, smoothies, and soup. You should avoid all tobacco products both before and after your treatment as this may impede your body’s ability to heal. Your dentist may recommend using an antibiotic mouthwash until you are able to get back to brushing and flossing.

THE PATH TO A HEALTHIER SMILE MAY INCLUDE AN EXTRACTION
Extracting a tooth or two is sometimes necessary to be able to protect or improve your smile. A dental extraction could be needed for several reasons, including to prevent decay from spreading, avoid an impaction, or simply to give your mouth additional space. In case you or a member of your family in Niles, OH might need a tooth extraction, schedule an appointment with our experienced team at DentalWorks – Eastwood Niles. Our team will perform a comprehensive evaluation before creating a treatment plan with either a simple or surgical extraction so you can keep your smile beautiful and healthy.