At Royal Dental Care It’s Our Goal To Protect Your Natural Teeth.
Sometimes, however, a dental emergency will require the removal of a tooth or multiple teeth in order to protect your overall health and wellbeing; in other words, losing one tooth can ultimately help you save the rest. In these cases, we’ll take every step to make sure the process is as comfortable as possible and that a quality tooth replacement (if necessary) is provided in a timely manner.
Why A Tooth Extraction Might Be Necessary
If plaque and tartar aren’t regularly removed from your teeth, they can lead to cavities. Eventually, the bacteria will reach the pulp of your tooth and cause an infection. Oftentimes, this can be resolved with a root canal, but if too much damage is done, restoration may not be possible and a tooth extraction in Schaumburg might be needed. Other potential health complications that can lead to tooth removal include a traumatic oral injury and baby teeth preventing the eruption of adult teeth.
There are other reasons why the procedure might be needed as well. In some cases, orthodontic treatment might require an extraction if there’s not enough room in the mouth for the necessary tooth movements. And of course, wisdom teeth are often removed due to the numerous issues they can cause.
The Extraction Process
Anesthesia will be used to numb the tooth as well as the surrounding tissue. You may also receive an IV sedation or general anesthesiology; which are particularly recommended for patients with a high level of dental anxiety. The dentist will then use forceps to firmly grasp the tooth and lightly rock it back and forth to gradually loosen it until it’s out entirely. Sometimes the tooth will need to be removed in pieces; also, an extraction for an impacted tooth will often require the removal of gum and bone tissue.
Afterwards, there will be bleeding in the tooth socket; the dentist will have you bite down on a gauze pad to stop it and form a clot. Stitches are often applied to close the site and protect you from further infection; they’re often designed to dissolve on their own once they’ve served their purpose.
Aftercare
It usually takes a few days to fully recover from an extraction. The dentist in Schaumberg will have more specific instructions based on your individual health needs, but in general:
- Use an ice bag after the procedure to keep down the swelling. It can be used for 10 minutes at a time.
- Give yourself at least 24 hours to rest; there should be limited activity for at least a couple of days.
- Do not drink from a straw on the first day, and stick to soft foods such as soup or applesauce. You can gradually move back to solid foods as healing progresses.
- Don’t use tobacco, which can disrupt the healing process.
- Take any prescribed painkillers.
For any other questions regarding extractions and other responses to a dental emergency, contact our office.
