Is Dental Oral Surgery Needed for an Extraction?

A tooth extraction is a fairly simple procedure for many dentists in most situations. However, removing the tooth can at times be a more complicated process, resulting in the need for a dental surgeon to perform the operation.

While deciding whether your case warrants extraction, the dentist or oral surgeon also determines who will carry out the procedure.

When Oral Surgery Is Needed for Extraction

Certain circumstances prompt the need for an oral surgeon to perform an extraction, including when the affected tooth is impacted, fractured or infected.

It is essential for patients to discuss whether or not oral surgery is needed for extraction with their dentist or oral surgeon, especially if any of the following are the case.

Impacted teeth

The most common occasion that warrants oral surgery to remove a tooth is if the tooth in question is impacted. An impacted tooth is a tooth that has not fully erupted from the gums. While an impacted tooth can be harmless, it can often lead to oral health concerns, such as teeth shifting and pain in the surrounding teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the most common type of tooth that needs removal due to being impacted. Since the procedure involves cutting the gums to reach the tooth fully, oral surgery is the best choice of treatment for wisdom teeth.

Fractured teeth

When a tooth fractures or breaks, it can lead to chips of the tooth falling off and causing issues, especially if the fracture occurs closer towards the root. In these instances, it is crucial to have all of the pieces of the teeth removed to prevent complications.

Since extracting a fractured tooth is a more complex, invasive procedure in many instances, oral surgery is necessary. It is likely to be far more painful and take much longer than a normal tooth extraction.

Infected teeth

Infected teeth can also cause significant complications and lead to far more complicated extraction procedures. When a tooth becomes infected, it is often much more vulnerable to pain and sensitivity. This makes it a more excruciating extraction in some instances.

Additionally, oral surgery is necessary for infected teeth to prevent the infection from spreading or causing other oral health concerns. Oral infections often occur deep down in the tooth, particularly in the pulp, and an oral surgeon is best suited for this area.

Dentist recommendation

While impacted teeth, fractured teeth and infected teeth often require oral surgery, oral surgery for extraction is not limited to these three occasions.

There are many reasons why a dentist or oral surgeon may suggest your receive surgery for an extraction. It is important to receive a proper evaluation to determine which course of action is the best. Most importantly, you need to begin this process by visiting the dentist in the first place when an oral health concern is present. Seeing your dentist will ensure you receive preventative care. Maintaining your teeth can sometimes avoid an extraction entirely.

Request an appointment here: https://cosmeticdentistrypompanobeach.com or call South Florida Smile Spa, Nicole M. Berger, DDS at (954) 395-2419 for an appointment in our Pompano Beach office.