How a Tooth Extraction Can Preserve Your Oral Health

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The fact that tooth extraction in La Grange, KY, can improve your long-term oral health may seem like an oxymoron. However, if the tooth is severely decayed or damaged, it can leave an extensive amount of bacteria in your mouth that can cause gum disease, cavities, and other common problems.

Extracting a Tooth is Always the Last Resort

Dr. Steven Byrne and Dr. Zachary Byrne always uses the most conservative treatment methods first to address oral health problems, such as a crown or filling. Unfortunately, that is not always enough to save the tooth. Besides severe tooth decay, the most typical reasons that your dentist recommends tooth extraction include:

  • Advanced gum disease
  • As part of orthodontic treatment when your teeth are too crowded
  • Immune system weakness that puts you at risk for infection
  • Impacted tooth
  • Injuries caused by trauma to the mouth
  • Tooth fracture

The symptoms associated with these dental health problems are not always obvious. We encourage you to schedule an appointment with Byrne Family Dentistry right away if you have ongoing pain in one tooth, jaw pain, swelling around the tooth, or pain when chewing your food.

What to Expect When You Need a Tooth Extracted

If you suffer from any of the symptoms described above, Dr. Steven Byrne or Dr. Zachary Byrne will take several X-rays to determine the severity of the issue and the health of bones in your jaw.

You remain awake under local anesthesia when your dentist performs a simple extraction. Some patients require a surgical extraction due to the extent of the damage, which requires making an incision in your gum line around the tooth and possibly the removal of a small amount of bone.

We are happy to answer your additional questions about tooth extraction in La Grange, KY, during a personal consultation.

Why You Should Never Pull a Tooth at Home

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Pulling a tooth at home may seem like an easy solution to a terrible problem. Despite any DIY tricks you may have seen or heard for pulling a tooth at home, this practice is risky. It’s more likely to cause a bigger problem than the original problem. Here are the many reasons why you should never pull a tooth at home.

Risk of Infection

The oral cavity is home to a broad range of bacteria; some friendly and some harmful. When you pull a tooth at home, the tooth pocket is completely exposed, leaving it susceptible to all kinds of bacterial infiltration, where the bacteria has access to enter the bloodstream. This could lead to serious consequences far beyond what you would expect.

A Tooth is Not a Surface Structure

What you see above the gum line is just a small portion of the tooth. It’s kind of like an iceberg, where the supporting structure is hidden from sight beneath the surface. Teeth have a deep root structure that goes all the way to the jawbone and into the gum tissue. You risk seriously damaging the structure when you try to pull a tooth at home.

Particles Left Behind

When your dentist in La Grange, KY performs a tooth extraction, the dentist makes sure there are no pieces of the tooth left behind. With a bad tooth, it’s very common for particles to break off, especially if you’re attempting a DIY tooth pulling at home. Those particles left behind pose an ongoing risk to your health, potentially causing you to lose even more permanent teeth.

Do you have a bad tooth that needs to come out, or a loose tooth that won’t fall out on its own? If so, book an appointment for a tooth extraction in La Grange, KY right away, so you can be sure the process is done hygienically, with no unwanted consequences.