It is generally recommended that teeth with advanced pulp damage be extracted. This means that the infection has progressed beyond the point where a root canal procedure would be effective. Additionally, there are some instances where teeth should be extracted even if they have not yet developed advanced pulp damage.
Extractions typically address an infected tooth if it is one of your wisdom teeth, but root canals are often recommended for the rest of your teeth. You will have to decide between a root canal and an extraction when a tooth has severe decay and infection.
In case the tooth has been infected beyond repair, there is no choice but to remove it. After the tooth is removed, some infection may still be present inside, which has to be drained or targetted with the help of antibiotics.
Removal of the infected tooth doesn't eliminate the infection in your jawbone, requiring antibiotics to eradicate the condition from your mouth.
Tooth infections are severe and generally need people to be treated with antibiotics before proceeding with the removal. In such cases, dentists prefer performing endodontic therapy to preserve the tooth. However, if the tooth's internal structure is affected, the only alternative available is to extract the tooth.
Dangers of Pulling an Abscessed Tooth
Extracting a tooth can lead to other issues First, bone shrinkage in the area of the missing tooth can happen. Also, the adjacent teeth will start to drift into the position of the missing one. If your teeth drift then your bite can be affected.
What is the most difficult tooth to extract? Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have failed to erupt properly. They are generally considered to be the most difficult teeth to extract.
In conclusion, the maximum period that an untreated tooth abscess can sustain is 12 months or more. But, such longevity is associated with dangerous complications such as sepsis or even death. Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!
You may need to have a tooth extracted if: Periodontal disease has badly infected the tooth. The tooth is badly damaged and cannot be restored by a filling or a crown. You are suffering from pain even after a filling, crown, or treatment for a root canal.
Tooth infections that have traveled to the jawbone can lead to severe dental abscesses and jawbone infections. Osteomyelitis in the jaw causes persistent pain, jaw stiffness, swelling, and tenderness. Additionally, bacterial infections of the teeth can also spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis.
Infected teeth should be extracted as soon as possible and the procedure should not be postponed by giving antibiotics.
Unfortunately, the infected pulp of the tooth will not heal on its own and requires a root canal to properly be treated. Sometimes, patients may think a tooth infection has healed itself once they no longer feel pain in their tooth, but this just signals that the nerves inside of the tooth have died.
To treat the infection in the root canal, the bacteria need to be removed. This can be done by either: removing the bacteria from the root canal system (root canal treatment) removing the tooth (extraction)
Root Canals Aren't Possible with Severe Infection
If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth. In addition, if a large portion of the tooth is lost and a crown cannot be placed on what's left, root canal treatment is no longer a viable solution.
After the tooth removal procedure, you might experience little pain when you bite down on the socket. However, you will not experience any more toothaches since the cause of pain is eliminated after extracting the tooth. The recovery period is between two days and a week.
While the impaction of teeth may begin soon after wisdom teeth attempt to break through the gums, it is not unusual for symptoms to not appear until decades later. While it is best to take care of wisdom teeth as soon as possible during their development, they can still be removed when you are in your 40s or 50s.
Even though most extractions don't require immediate action, waiting too long to extract a tooth can lead to infection, orthodontic problems, and abscesses.
The Danger of Untreated Infected Teeth and Gums
If they are not treated, they can last for several months or years. There are two types of dental abscess – one can form under the tooth (periapical) and the other in the supporting gum and bone (periodontal).
If you have a fever and swelling in your face and you can't reach your dentist, go to an emergency room. Also go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. These symptoms may indicate that the infection has spread deeper into your jaw, throat or neck or even to other areas of your body.
Final Verdict: Save the Tooth if Possible
In addition, healing from an extraction takes longer and is often more painful than healing from a root canal, and pulling the tooth means even more dental procedures and healing time to replace it later. Still, pulling the tooth might be right for some situations.
Extraction of teeth with existing root canal is a complex procedure. The tooth and its roots become very brittle and fracture easily during extraction. This requires careful surgical techniques to remove the teeth gently while preserving the surrounding bone important for healing and future implant placement.
The maxillary molars, especially the second molars, have the most complicated root canal system in permanent dentition. There are many variations in canal number and configuration in maxillary molars. Treatment may be unsuccessful because the dentist may fail to recognize the unusual canal configuration.
Nerve injury
It can cause pain, a tingling sensation and numbness in your tongue, lower lip, chin, teeth and gums. The damage is usually temporary, lasting for a few weeks or months. However, it can be permanent if the nerve has been severely damaged.
Removal of root canal teeth are often recommended because they eliminate the possibility of Bacteremia infection entering the blood stream and causing infection to other teeth, heart, cardiac muscles and the brain. This is why tooth extraction may be suggested.