Did you know that it’s possible to put a completely dislodged (avulsed) tooth back into its socket? That’s if the dentist can place the knocked-out tooth back within the next 30 to 90 minutes.
Conversely, there are cases wherein it may be necessary to do the exact opposite: get a tooth removed.
Do keep in mind that dentists often regard tooth extraction as a last resort type of treatment. They always attempt to save the teeth first.
However, if you exhibit the signs we listed below, you’d likely need to undergo teeth removal.
Severe Tooth Infection
Untreated tooth decay, affecting one in four US adults, can lead to severe oral infection. When this happens, an abscess can form in the diseased tooth. A tooth abscess, in turn, is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection.
The longer the infection goes on, the more areas of the mouth the bacteria can infect. Over time, even the jawbone and the facial and neck tissues can become infected. There are even rare cases wherein the infection can travel to the brain or heart.
Severe tooth abscesses can cause throbbing pain not only within the tooth but the jaw, ear, or neck, too. The pain may also worsen whenever you lie down or even move your mouth. Swelling, fever, and a bad taste in your mouth that doesn’t go away can also signal an infection.
In such cases, your dentist may already need to perform a tooth extraction.
Considerable Tooth Damage
A tooth abscess can also develop in broken, chipped, or cracked teeth. That’s why you should see your dentist right away, as they may still be able to save the tooth with a crown or a veneer. Otherwise, bacteria can enter the opening and seep into the damaged tooth.
In addition, an untreated damaged tooth is more prone to decay. The worse the decay, the more brittle the tooth can become. This can then result in the affected tooth breaking into even more pieces.
When that happens, your dentist won’t have any other choice but to remove the tooth.
Impacted Tooth Causing Significant Problems
An impacted tooth is a tooth that has failed to erupt or come in as it should. Instead, it remains stuck to the bone or the gum tissue. This usually occurs because there’s not enough room outside the gums.
In many cases, impacted teeth don’t cause problems, so removing them may not be necessary. However, some may cause severe pain as they try to break out because in doing so, they injure the gums. They may also put excessive pressure on the adjacent teeth, thereby causing pain.
If you’re sure you don’t have a cavity or infection, but your mouth still hurts, an impacted tooth may be the culprit. Swollen gums, jaw pain, and even headaches may also occur.
If you only have a simple case of impaction, a general dentist can extract the tooth.
However, you may need to see a maxillofacial dentist if it’s a severely impacted tooth. In this case, surgery may be necessary to remove the tooth.
Don’t Put Off Getting a Diseased or Damaged Tooth Removed
Remember: tooth infections that travel outside of the mouth can be life-threatening. At the very least, they can cause unpleasant symptoms, such as debilitating pain and fever.
So, if you have a severely infected, damaged, or impacted tooth, see a dentist ASAP. This way, they can get the tooth removed right away, lowering your risks of complications.
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My name is Tom William a expert content creator and SEO expert having Proven record of excellent writing demonstrated in a professional portfolio Impeccable grasp of the English language, including press releases and current trends in slang and details.
