Not all dental work can be planned for. Oral surgery, like tooth extractions, sometimes needs to be done on an emergency basis. There are some cases when you need to have a tooth extraction done for your health — and you need it done right away.
Learning more about emergency tooth extractions can help you to be better prepared if you have to have the procedure done in the future.
Some Reasons You May Need an Emergency Extraction
Oral surgery is not anything anyone looks forward to. But if your general dentist recommends oral surgery, make sure you are seeing the oral surgeon South Bend patients rate as reputable. While the goal is to always save your natural teeth there are some instances where that is simply not possible like:
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Severe decay or an abscess around the tooth
- Trauma to the jaw (resulting in fractured teeth that cannot be repaired)
- Root cracks or fractures
Wisdom teeth removal may not always be planned for, either. When wisdom teeth become impacted, they have to be removed. This happens when the teeth cannot break through the gum line because there is not enough room for them. Although it is a very common condition and procedure (about 5 million people in the US have the procedure each year), it is a very painful condition and can put other teeth in jeopardy.
Other instances — including severe decay, abscess, and trauma — can also prompt a visit to the oral surgeon for a tooth extraction.
Emergency Tooth Extraction Procedure
The process of removing a tooth is largely relative to the reason that the tooth is being removed. For example, a simple extraction of a decayed tooth can be rather straightforward, while removing an impacted wisdom tooth can be a bit more complex. However, both scenarios absolutely require the care of an oral surgeon.
Your oral surgeon may have to cut the gums to remove an impacted tooth or if the tooth has broken off below the gum line. In every case of an emergency extraction, the patient will be made comfortable and not feel any pain.
Oral surgery to remove a tooth starts with the patient receiving a shot of local anesthesia to numb the area. A small incision is made at the gum line where the tooth is to be removed, after which the surgeon will extract the tooth. You may or may not need stitches to close the incision.
Pain Control
During oral surgery, you will not feel any pain. You may feel pressure, but no pain. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons that emergency oral surgery is performed is to alleviate pain. The recovery process only takes a few days and your oral surgeon will make sure that you have the medication that you need when you go home to control any after pain.
An experienced oral surgeon can help you get the care that you deserve. You do not have to live with oral pain. Oral surgery can be the solution to living without dental pain.