Is It Safe to Extract Wisdom Teeth In Infection?
Tooth extraction in any scenario may help in heaps. Gone were the days when extracting teeth was a daunting task. Dentists now are well educated and experienced enough to operate in such conditions. Moreover, the dentists remained in a dilemma to do so.
This discussion has continued over many years, starting around the late 1930s. The issue was settled a couple of decades ago, but some dentists, who are not as well trained as oral surgeons, periodontists, and other dental specialists, choose to attempt to treat the infection before extracting a wisdom tooth.
What Are The Prospect Fear of Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Infection?
They fear that the infection will spread. They are under the impression that it could lead to such severe problems as cellulitis and septicemia, potentially fatal conditions. As a result of this fear, they will try to resolve the inflammation with antibiotics first and then perform the wisdom tooth extraction.
Acute Infection
It is not unusual to get an infection around a tooth. It can be painful, and when the pus is drained, the pain will usually be eliminated. It can become abscessed, however, and this could become a severe problem. It is serious because the infection can spread, and it will not stop until it is treated. Because the brain is not far from your back teeth, the infection does not have far to go until it reaches the brain. Once there, it can be fatal.
Wisdom teeth can get infected, even when they are encased in bone. The infection can travel through the bone to other teeth, your gums, and your brain. There can be a considerable infection in an impacted wisdom tooth, and it will put pressure on your jaw, causing considerable pain.
What Are The Symptoms Of An Infected Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
When the impacted tooth becomes infected, you will notice a variety of symptoms. They may include:
- Gums that are red or swollen
- Gums that bleed when brushed or flossed
- Pain in your jaw with swelling
- Bad breath
- Difficulty in opening your mouth.
What Are The Benefits Of Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Infection?
When the extraction of wisdom teeth is performed immediately, there are several benefits. They include:
- Faster elimination of the infection
- Less pain (you get wisdom tooth pain relief faster)
- It enables the patient to be able to use their mouth typically faster
- It enables the patient to return to better nutrition.
When this discussion first came out, dentists were fearful that the infection would spread into the cavity caused by the extraction. Research and 720 case studies have demonstrated that this rarely ever occurs. Possible complications, such as septicemia, a brain abscess, osteomyelitis, or a facial space abscess, did not occur when care was taken to prevent the spread of infection.
Other Potential Problems Associated with Tooth Extractions
When a wisdom tooth is impacted, which means it is completely encased in bone, additional problems may develop. It may put pressure on other teeth as it continues to grow in size. This can damage other teeth, causing a cavity that may lead to an infection.
The impacted wisdom tooth may also develop a cyst. These are usually non-cancerous, but they can damage the bone, tooth roots, and tissue, which is likely to require the removal of some of them.
When an impacted tooth becomes infected, the only way to treat it is to extract it. This problem needs to be treated quickly because of the risks involved and the pain you will experience. The periodontist or oral surgeon will also drain the pus and prescribe antibiotics.
Recovery From Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Once the wisdom tooth is removed, it will be necessary to follow the instructions to prevent a dry socket. This is a severe condition that will require you to go back to the dentist for a prescription of pain medications. It can take up to a month to heal – if you follow the instructions. If you do not, it will take longer. The jawbone will take much longer to heal, but you will be pain-free once the wisdom tooth socket is successfully closed and the gums heal.
Best Way To Watch Wisdom Teeth
Today’s idea is to leave mandibular wisdom teeth alone until they are causing a problem, or they are certainly going to. Wisdom teeth that have uncertainty about them should be left alone and only extracted when there is a problem. Regular dental visits will enable a dentist to keep an eye on their progress until a proper decision can be made on when they need to be removed.
If you have an impacted wisdom tooth that you believe is infected around it, you can remove it immediately. This will remove the possible endangerment to your health and enable you to have jaw pain relief sooner. Dr. Kumar T. Vadivel, DDS, FDS RCS, MS, a Board Certified Periodontist, provides wisdom teeth removal surgery when you have impacted mandibular wisdom teeth. His offices are in the Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Mocking Bird/SMU, and Grapevine, TX offices. Nearly all dental health insurance plans are accepted. For a consultation or information about the wisdom tooth extraction procedure, you can contact his office at 214-731-0123
