Yes, it is generally safe for elderly patients to get a tooth extraction. However, there are some considerations that must be taken into account before any procedure is performed on an elderly patient. First, the patient's medical history should be carefully assessed and discussed with the dentist.
The risks of Not Extracting a Tooth
If there's an infection present, it won't heal on its own and can damage your gums and bone. Infections also spread to other teeth, putting you at risk for sepsis. If the issue is crowding, not extracting a tooth on time can cause bite misalignment and tooth damage.
While tooth extractions are generally very safe procedures, your dentist will still want to make sure you don't have any health conditions that might make you more susceptible to infection. These conditions include congenital heart defects, liver disease, and an impaired immune system.
While it is always preferable to save a tooth, there are times when extraction is a better option. When a tooth is cracked, especially if it is cracked below the gumline, or in several places, an extraction may be required. If the tooth is too weak to be restored, it may also be best to have it pulled.
Surgical tooth extraction is needed when teeth are impacted tooth (has not erupted above the gum line), a tooth is broken below the gum line or must be removed in pieces, or in case where a tooth is so severely decayed to the point that forceps cannot be used to remove the tooth from the socket.
Many dentists lack the experience and the skill to remove difficult teeth. Teeth that have had root canals, have long roots, or are ankylosed (fused) to your bone tissue are nightmares to take out for a lot of dental practitioners.
If a tooth is removed and not replaced, the bone in the jaw will start to slowly deteriorate, resulting in irreversible bone loss.
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.
Impaction, tooth decay, periodontal and gum disease, trauma, or tooth overcrowding are all reasons a dentist may recommend a tooth extraction.
Dry socket is the most common complication following tooth extractions, such as the removal of third molars (wisdom teeth). Over-the-counter medications alone won't be enough to treat dry socket pain. Your dentist or oral surgeon can offer treatments to relieve your pain.
Even if you don't have tooth pain, a cavity can be severe enough to cause an infection in the tooth or surrounding gums, which can quickly become systemic. A dentist may recommend removing the tooth – and thus the infection – to prevent these complications in these cases.
The absolute best way to prevent tooth extraction is by getting regular dental checkups. The most common causes of tooth extraction- tooth decay and gum disease- often take years to develop. These issues are usually easily identified during routine dentist visits.
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.
Use Tweezers. Using clean tweezers to wiggle the loose tooth is the best and painless way to pull out a loose tooth. If it doesn't come out easily, don't apply more force, leave the tooth in its place and try the process again after a few days.
Extracting or removing a tooth that has died is a relatively simple relatively painless form of treatment. You should expect to receive either local or general anesthesia for the procedure, depending on your preference or the recommendation of your dentist.
How long does a tooth extraction take? This procedure is quicker than you'd think. The entire process of pulling a tooth—from administering the anesthetic to applying stitches if needed—typically takes anywhere between 20-40 minutes. That said, the procedure will take longer if you require more than one tooth pulled.
Pain. It is normal for pain to get worse over the next couple of days. Most discomfort is seen on day 2 and 3. Once you get home and the bleeding has stopped, you should eat (soft foods, pudding, etc.).
Removing your tooth removes the tooth from the presence of your oral bacteria. In either case, your immune system can then clean up whatever infection remains. So in most cases, when you have your tooth removed, there is still some infection present.
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.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
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.