Dental emergencies often require immediate action, especially because they cause serious dental complications for the victim. Suffering from a dental emergency warrants you seeking a dentist’s advice and diagnosis, which may include an emergency tooth extraction. The process is essential if your dentist determines that your tooth has severe damage and is likely to worsen without proper dental intervention. If you are to undergo a tooth extraction, consider working with a skilled and experienced dentist who understands the importance of performing their roles carefully and skillfully.
At The Lakewood Dentist, we provide quality emergency tooth extraction services to patients facing serious dental problems. Our team aims to prevent further damage to your existing dental condition by performing the extraction soon after your consultation. Upon choosing us to undertake the process, you can expect to work with a reliable dental team to support you throughout the procedure. Moreover, we remain available to answer your questions and address your concerns as needed, especially after completing the tooth extraction process. Our services are available for emergency tooth extraction patients in Lakewood, California.
What a Dental Emergency Entails
When an unforeseen situation causes a severe impact on a tooth, you become vulnerable to serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. Dental emergencies vary based on the causing factor, and they vary in severity. Therefore, your dentist will assess your situation to establish whether your condition qualifies as an emergency.
While some incidents arise from high impact in accidents, others are a gradual development that attacks the tooth’s health. For example, if a cavity remains undetected for a long time, it may develop into a serious infection that calls for urgent dental intervention. In severe cases, dental emergencies may build up and cause serious symptoms that compromise your overall health.
The following are injuries or dental complications that qualify as dental emergencies:
A Fractured or Severely Injured Jaw
Jaw injuries, or fractures, occur after high-impact contact, causing the jawbone to dislocate or crack. The aftermath can be catastrophic, often causing serious pain, bleeding, and an inability to open and close your mouth.
Jaw dislocation injuries are more serious because they cause the jaw socket to move from the intended position. Subsequently, your dentist must attend to the damage as soon as possible to prevent additional pain and discomfort or health complications from the problem. The condition, therefore, qualifies as a dental emergency, and you need to seek immediate attention.
Loose Teeth
Permanent teeth should remain firmly in place after growing for continuous usefulness. The gums, nerves, and blood vessels are also connected to the jawbone tooth. They help nourish it by providing nutrients and signaling when pain occurs, prompting you to seek dental intervention.
Therefore, your teeth must remain securely lodged into your jawbone to stay alive and healthy. If you notice loose teeth on your jawline, consider seeking immediate dental treatment, as it qualifies as an emergency.
Your dentist will identify the primary cause of the loose teeth and administer the appropriate treatment. In some cases, the loose nature may be because the tooth is severely infected, causing it to dislodge from the root. Alternatively, your gums may be infected. Making them incapable of properly supporting and nourishing the tooth, which warrants dental intervention as soon as possible.
Persistent Bleeding
When you experience bleeding after a tooth injury, it is often because your gums have experienced moderate to serious trauma that exposes the sensitive tissue and ruptures blood capillaries. Your body has self-regulating mechanisms that stop bleeding after some time, mainly through blood clots.
However, some injuries may be more serious, causing bleeding for extended durations. If so, consult your dentist as soon as possible, as you may face a more serious dental complication. For example, your tooth may bleed excessively because the gum continues to face trauma and abrasion. This is especially true if you experience an injury from sports or physical assault, where the force is higher and more intentional.
Fallen Teeth
Your teeth may fall because of a serious injury, unhealthy gums, or an underlying infection. Regardless of the cause, you should seek urgent dental assistance to help restore the fallen tooth. However, your dentist may advise against efforts to return the tooth to its original position, especially if the tooth loss arose from decay or serious cavities.
On the other hand, if your tooth falls off from injuries, your dentist can help return it to its original position if you consult them soon after it falls off. Consulting your dentist soon after the tooth falls is especially important because you have living parts of the tooth inside the enamel. With your dentist’s help, you can safely preserve the tooth in preparation for your recovery procedure.
Sharp Pain on the Affected Tooth
Any form of tooth pain is a major indicator of the need to schedule a consultation with your dentist as soon as possible, as it is a common symptom of more serious problems. Based on this, consider contacting your dentist immediately if you experience persistent, sharp pain in a specific tooth. Seeing your dentist helps you identify the primary cause of pain, allowing you to seek treatment faster.
If you can trace the origin of the sharp pain, you should inform your dentist of the details to help them make a more accurate diagnosis. With their help, you will find a more permanent solution to the condition, allowing you to enjoy better dental health.
Why Emergency Tooth Extractions are Important
After examining your dental emergency, your dentist must determine the most appropriate medical procedure. Their assessment has its foundation in the severity of your case and how healthy the affected tooth or gum area is.
While typical dental procedures may be applicable in many cases, some patients require more drastic solutions, like tooth extraction. The remedy is a last-resort option, and your dentist recommends it if they strongly believe that your tooth is not salvageable in any other way.
A tooth extraction is also justified if letting it remain in your jaw would be more disadvantageous to your overall well-being. For example, if you are suffering from a serious infection that could spread to other teeth, removing it may be an effective protection measure.
Based on this, the following are justifications for your dentist to suggest an emergency tooth extraction:
Removing Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Your wisdom continues to grow beyond the shedding phase, where your temporary teeth fall out and permanent ones grow. While the wisdom teeth may be part of your jawbone, they may become misaligned or unable to rupture through the gums.
Subsequently, you experience severe pain and discomfort when the impacted wisdom teeth continue to rest inside your gums. They may also cause your teeth to move or create a breeding ground for bacteria to develop and cause complications.
A tooth extraction can help resolve the problem by removing the wisdom teeth before they fully erupt from the gums. The procedure helps relieve pain while being a preventative measure against future discomfort and additional dental complications. Once the dentist identifies the area where the tooth rests, they have an easier time conducting the extraction without affecting the teeth above the gum surface.
Managing Gum Disease
If you have symptoms related to gum disease, tooth extraction may be the last resort applicable as a permanent remedy. Your dentist may, therefore, suggest an extraction if they link the gum disease to the tooth in question. For example, if you have a severely infected tooth that causes bacteria to spread to your gums, extracting it may be a better solution than trying to treat the gums or tooth separately.
In this case, the emergency tooth extraction is a starting point for proper gum disease management, and you will need to see your dentist regularly for a lasting solution. Doing so is beneficial, allowing them to determine whether their health improves after the tooth extraction or whether they need additional procedures.
Remedying Severe Tooth Decay
At the early stages, your dentist may provide lasting remedies for tooth decay, as your tooth still includes a significant part of the enamel. They can place fillings and reconstruct the crown to help the tooth remain functional, thus avoiding an extraction.
However, if you have severe tooth decay, the affected tooth has a small crown surface, making it incapable of reconstruction. If so, having your tooth remain in your jawbone poses a higher risk than an extraction. As a result, an emergency dental extraction may be the most useful solution for your case, so your dentist will help you prepare for the procedure in advance.
Reducing Teeth Crowding
Living with crowded teeth is common, and you can receive orthodontic treatment to start the realignment process. Despite this, crowded teeth may create a serious dental emergency if they cause injury to your inner cheeks, tongue, or gums when undertaking regular functions like chewing.
An emergency may arise after a high-impact injury forces your teeth out of position. Since you already have crowded teeth, moving them creates an irregular dental alignment, resulting in the need for extraction. Some patients may require emergency extractions on more than one tooth, making it important to prepare yourself adequately for the upcoming procedure.
Preparing for an Emergency Tooth Extraction
When your dentist confirms that an emergency extraction is critical to prevent further dental complications, they start the preparation process immediately. Although the steps discussed below are numerous, they take a few minutes to complete and may occur in quick succession. Based on the necessary preparations to undertake, your dentist advises you to complete the following:
Undergo a Physical Examination
Physical examinations are essential before an emergency tooth extraction because they reveal the problem causing discomfort or pain. It is often a quick and painless procedure that involves following directives from your dentist to identify the main problem areas.
For example, they may ask you to open your mouth, tilt your head to a specific angle, or assume the bite position to examine your tooth alignment. If your mouth is bleeding, your dentist cleans it to view the injury better, as it helps establish the most effective solution to respond.
Some cases also warrant the dentist using special tools during the physical examination, especially if your case involves tooth decay or gum infections. Using tools makes it easier to identify the severity of your condition, especially if you have limited information on what may be happening.
Provide Your Medical History
Giving details on your medical history is beneficial, as it provides a reference point for the emergency tooth extraction you are about to undergo. Your dentist inquires briefly about your past to establish whether you have serious allergies that may hinder the procedure, making finding an alternative treatment option necessary.
Additional information includes previous medical procedures you have undergone, especially if they relate to your dental health. These details can help elaborate on your current situation and help with a more seamless emergency tooth extraction procedure.
If you live with an underlying condition, you should also provide details on your prescriptions and whether they directly impact your oral health. The details are important because some medications contain highly corrosive chemical combinations, resulting in regressive dental health.
Undergo X-Ray Imaging
If your case involves extracting an impacted wisdom tooth, your dentist must conduct an X-ray to establish its exact position. Having the images is essential because they guide the emergency procedure, leaving little to no room for error.
X-ray images take only a few seconds, allowing your dentist to prepare for your extraction within one consultation session. You can thus look forward to recovering soon after the initial appointment, provided you uphold the provided aftercare tips.
Inform the Dentist in Case of Nausea Before the Procedure
Emergency tooth extractions may be moderately invasive, especially if the targeted tooth is further back in the mouth. Some patients are prone to gagging during the procedure as the dentist inserts or removes tools to force the teeth out of their position.
Subsequently, your dentist must know whether you experience nausea or vomiting before the procedure to prevent a medical complication. The details are especially important because gagging and vomiting may cause you to choke if you do not take proper intervention steps.
Your dentist will postpone the appointment if you have strong nausea or vomiting symptoms before the emergency tooth extraction. However, if the dental emergency is severe, they may recommend anti-nausea medication to help you avoid discomfort.
Alert Your Dentist If You Have Flu-like Symptoms
While the flu may include mild symptoms, some may develop into serious infections that compromise overall well-being. As a result, your dentist needs to know whether you have experienced flu-like symptoms, as it prevents them from completing the emergency tooth extraction.
Apart from the risk of spreading infections, your dentist may postpone the extraction process if you are on strong antibiotic medication for the flu. Doing so is critical to avoid medical complications that may occur if your prescription causes a severe reaction after administering local anesthesia.
Find Someone to Drive You to and From the Clinic
Ensuring your safety after the emergency tooth extraction is also a priority, making it important to find someone to drive you from the dental clinic. Operating a vehicle alone may compromise your road safety because of the effects of anesthetic and antibiotic drugs.
You will typically continue to feel the effects a few hours after the procedure, ranging from dizziness, drowsiness, detachment from reality, and sedation. Based on this, you are better positioned to inform a trusted loved one of the scheduled appointment times for proper planning.
How Emergency Tooth Extractions May Occur
Emergency dental extractions take on various formats depending on the nature of your condition, the targeted tooth position, and how severe your injury or infection is. Upon proper assessment, your dentist may choose to apply the following extraction methods to help you restore your oral health:
Simple Tooth Extractions
A simple tooth extraction involves pushing the tooth out of its position in the jawbone by dislodging it from the root. The procedure is classified as simple because it is minimally invasive, meaning that your dentist does not require multiple preparation steps.
A simple tooth extraction procedure begins with local anesthesia application to the targeted tooth. Your dentist may choose between spraying or injecting the anesthesia medication by gauging the most effective method for your case. For example, if injecting the targeted area allows better pain blockage because of severe tooth damage, your dentist is more likely to choose it.
After pulling the tooth out, the dentist covers the exposed area with gauze to reduce the bleeding, and they will ask you to continue holding it in position for blood clot formation. If the emergency involves extracting more than one tooth, your dentist repeats the process until they conclude.
Surgical Tooth Extractions
A surgical tooth extraction is more invasive and complicated compared to simple extractions. The main reason is that they require accessing a tooth inside the gum or jawbone area, specifically for impacted teeth. Alternatively, removing abscess pockets or enamel remnants from a severely infected tooth may be necessary.
Based on the factors applicable to your case, your dentist must conduct the process surgically for full access and extraction without exposing you to extreme pain and discomfort. Therefore, you can expect general anesthesia for a smoother extraction procedure. If you experience discomfort or nausea soon after introducing the anesthesia, inform your dentist immediately to help them find a solution to your reaction.
Surgical extractions take longer than simple ones because they are more delicate and require additional skill. Further, your dentist must stitch your gums and prevent excessive bleeding, making it necessary to uphold care throughout. After completion, you also need more recovery time compared to simple extractions to help your gums fully recover.
Aftercare Tips to Prevent Post-Extraction Complications
When the emergency tooth extraction process concludes, your dentist talks you through the essential aftercare tips to observe for a smooth recovery. Taking the information you receive seriously is important, as it protects you from infection risks, excessive bleeding, and other complications related to poor dental care after an extraction.
Some important tips to uphold include:
- Avoid Spitting or Rinsing your Mouth for Twenty-Four Hours.
- Cover the Exposed Area by Biting Down on a Gauze.
- Replace the Gauze With a Cotton Pad After an Hour to Encourage Blood Clotting.
- Avoid Strenuous Activities for a Few Days.
- Place an Ice Pack on the operating Area In Case of Swelling.
- Stick to a Soft Food Diet for a Week.
- Avoid Smoking for Three to Four Days After the Procedure.
- Sleep With Your Head Elevated.
If you have concerns during your recovery, you can consult your dentist for elaboration on the various care tips they provide. Contacting them soon after noticing a complication or regression in healing is critical, as they will direct you on how to remedy the situation.
Contact an Emergency Dentist Near Me
When you or a loved one suffers from a serious dental injury or infection, your dentist may recommend a tooth extraction. They are likely to do this as a last resort, meaning no other dental procedures are as effective in dealing with the condition. As a result, you need to be aware of the processes leading up to the tooth extraction and how to care for your teeth after the procedure. Working with a skilled dentist is advisable, as their experience in the field makes them more likely to provide solid advice and quality services.
You can look forward to excellent emergency tooth extraction services from well-trained dentists at The Lakewood Dentist. Our team has practiced their emergency dentistry services for years, making them highly experienced in handling various cases. Additionally, we are ready to support you through additional dental services if needed, giving you a better chance of fully recovering and avoiding recurrent problems. Our team is prepared to handle emergency dental extractions for patients in Lakewood, California. For more information on what to expect during and after the procedure, call us today at 562-423-1441.