Health

Tooth Extraction in Thibodaux, LA: Understanding the Procedure and When to Seek Emergency Dental Care

A tooth extraction may be necessary for a number of reasons. These include advanced decay, tooth injury, or wisdom tooth eruption. Removing a tooth could improve the balance and function of your smile as well as prevent future complications.

It’s a good idea to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. Using the search quiz on Opencare, you can identify practices that offer specialty services and book immediate appointments.

Root Canal Issues

A root canal is a highly effective and safe dental treatment that can save your tooth. Your dentist will start by numbing your mouth and then creating an opening in your tooth. They will remove the damaged pulp (nerves and blood vessels) and clean the canals in your tooth extraction thibodaux la roots. They will then fill the empty space with gutta-percha, a rubber-like substance, and seal the entry point.

You may experience some pain after root canal therapy, but over-the-counter painkillers can usually manage it. If you experience severe or persistent pain, it’s important to visit a local endodontist. These experts specialize in maintaining the internal health of your teeth and are well-versed in all aspects of endodontics. They’ll give you a second opinion and help you choose the right course of action.

Broken Dentures

If you have lost most or all of your natural teeth, dentures are a wonderful way to restore both appearance and function. However, like any dental appliance they can suffer from everyday wear and tear. It’s important to recognize when a denture is broken and seek a repair or replacement before the problem worsens.

If your denture is cracked, it’s a sign that the pink acrylic portion of the prosthetic needs to be repaired or replaced. Cracks can spread quickly and cause a break if not addressed soon enough.

Some people try to repair their dentures themselves by using super glue or crazy glue, but this usually results in irreparable damage. Instead, a dentist should be called to perform a denture repair. They can use relining or rebasing techniques to fix the problem and avoid costly denture replacement.

Bleeding Gums

After a tooth is removed it is normal for the area to bleed. A little oozing and a pinkish tinted saliva is often seen in the empty socket after treatment, but should not last more than 24-48 hours. If it does, please call our office for assistance.

Avoid spitting or rinsing as this increases the pressure on the blood clot and can dislodge it. You may want to use a cold compress or ice pack in your mouth for comfort, as the cold temperature helps constrict blood vessels and reduce bleeding.

Unless instructed otherwise by our dentist, you should not smoke, sit upright or exercise for at least two days. This will increase blood flow to the head and can cause excess bleeding. It is also a good idea to skip straws as they create suction in the mouth which can interfere with blood clot formation.

Knocked Out Tooth

A knocked out tooth is one of the most severe dental emergencies, but it can be saved if you act quickly. Teeth begin to die within 15 minutes of being knocked out, so the sooner you see a dentist or emergency dentist, the better your chances are of saving the tooth extraction thibodaux la.

First, rinse the tooth gently with water (but don’t scrub it or use soap), then pick it up by its crown and not its root. Gently reposition the tooth in its socket and bite down lightly to keep it in place while you wait for your appointment. Avoid placing the tooth in milk, saline, or saliva — its roots can’t handle being exposed to these liquids for too long. You can also hold the tooth in place with a piece of gauze or tissue.

Infected Abscess

Dental infections or abscesses are common and often painful. These can be caused by tooth extraction thibodaux la decay, trauma or failed root canal therapy. Infections can spread to the jawbone and create an area of pus called a dental abscess or gum boil.

These abscesses are usually caused by bacteria such as anaerobic Streptococci and Prevotella species. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins. However, there is increasing antimicrobial resistance to these agents and extended-spectrum penicillins such as piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems like meropenem may be more appropriate for severe infections in immunocompromised patients.

If a tooth extraction thibodaux la abscess is untreated, the infection can spread to the sinuses and brain. This can be very dangerous and may require hospitalization. Licensed dentists can drain the abscess, drain the pus and perform a root canal to prevent complications.