The pain of an abscess or infected tooth can be severe; some have even compared it to painful contractions during childbirth at times! Even with the highly developed dental treatments offered by our dentist near you, tooth extraction is sometimes the only treatment that works for certain infections and dental conditions. Tooth extraction completely removes your infected, damaged, or unnecessary tooth from its socket. It is a minor surgery performed by our dentist in Edmonton under a local anesthetic.
The Process of Tooth Extraction
After assessing the condition of your tooth our dentist will inform you if there is a need for an extraction. Suppose you suffer from severe pain at the time of the diagnosis. In that case, our dentist will likely prescribe you painkillers and antibiotics to ease this until your dental extraction in Edmonton is scheduled. Many patients make the mistake of not returning to their dentist for the extraction after painkillers ease their condition. This can cause the infection to intensify and become more severe. This can be harmful to your overall health later on.
Once you arrive at our dental office for tooth extraction, our dentist will administer a local anesthetic near the infected tooth to fully numb the area. Getting the shot of the anesthetic is usually the most “pain” you will feel throughout this procedure. Once the tooth is extracted, a thick piece of gauze will be provided to bite down on to stop any bleeding at the socket. Post extraction, you will also likely receive antibiotics to prevent any infections at the site and painkillers to reduce the pain as your mouth heals.
Why are Tooth Extractions Necessary?
1. Severe Tooth Decay
Minor to moderate tooth infections and dental decay can be treated with a root canal. However, if the infection is so severe, tooth extraction is necessary to prevent its spread to neighbouring teeth. This is why attending your routine dental checkups at least every 6 months is important. That way, our dentist can identify the early stages of cavities and tooth decay and provide treatment before anything can worsen.
2. Periodontal Disease
Gum or periodontal disease is among the most serious oral disorders you can develop. A severe infection of the gums leads to tooth and bone loss. The reason for this disease is solely the lack of good oral hygiene. While it can be prevented and somewhat treated at the beginning stages, it becomes virtually untreatable after a certain point. Once the disease starts attacking the jaw bone, it can lead to the loosening of teeth. At this stage, tooth extractions become necessary.
3. Impacted Teeth
Sometimes when a tooth doesn’t properly erupt from the gum, it becomes tapped. This can cause pain and discomfort. It is a quite common situation when it comes to wisdom teeth and is treated with dental extractions near you. In these kinds of situations, sometimes the best course of action is to extract the impacted tooth.
4. Overcrowding
Teeth overcrowding is when there is inadequate room in your jaw for new teeth. Certain orthodontic treatments can help this condition, but sometimes the extraction of one or more teeth is necessary to help teeth properly realign in an overcrowded mouth.
5. Dental Trauma
Experiencing trauma from an accident or contact sport can severely damage a tooth. While the first step is always to try and preserve the natural tooth, an extraction may be required for severe situations.