Tooth Extraction Complications and How to Avoid Them

Morton dental, IL, is all about saving or preserving your natural teeth. Still, sometimes dentists are forced to perform tooth extractions for several reasons. Some of them include irreparable damage caused by severe tooth decay, an impacted wisdom tooth that causes pain and increases your risk of infection, and overcrowding.    

Although complications are rare after the treatment, there are instances when they do happen. It’s important to know what these are to learn how to avoid them.    

Potential Complications Following Tooth Extractions  

Bleeding  

Slight bleeding is expected after your dentist removes your tooth. But if you have problems with blood-clotting or are taking anticoagulant medications or blood thinners, you’ll experience more bleeding than usual.    

Let your dentist know if you’re taking such meds before your extraction appointment. The bleeding shouldn’t last more than two hours.    

Your dentist will place a clean piece of gauze on the extraction site and ask you to bite down on it gently. This helps stop the bleeding. If you experience pain or discomfort, it’s best to avoid aspirin since it’s a blood thinner that slows down the clotting process.    

Dry Socket  

A potential complication following a tooth extraction is a dry socket. You’ll want to avoid this after the procedure. It happens when the blood clot that has formed following an extraction gets removed.    

Usually, the patient causes the dry socket by accidentally removing the blood clot. It can happen if you smoke or use a straw because the vacuuming effect can suck out the clot. Other causes of a dry socket are excessive rinsing and too much brushing.  
How do you know if you have a dry socket? You’ll know it because it will put you in a great amount of pain that even if you take over-the-counter painkillers, the pain will still linger. To confirm, you can get a mirror and check your mouth to see if the clot is missing.    

Infection  

Your mouth is teeming with oral bacteria, so the risk of infection is always there after a tooth extraction. Infections are rare for simple extractions unless you have an existing tooth infection. The risk of getting an infection is also high if you don’t practice proper dental hygiene after the procedure.    

It’s essential to look for other possible signs of infection so you can report them to your dentist immediately. Examples are pain, fever, pus on the site, unpleasant taste in your mouth, and bad breath.    

Some patients may be required to take antibiotics if they are getting surgical extractions or have tooth abscesses to lessen their risk.

Fracture  

It’s not uncommon for a tooth to break while it’s being removed. It only becomes a problem if some parts of the tooth get left behind, as this can lead to the formation of a cyst or develop into an infection.    

Accidents can also happen, like when your dentist unintentionally damages nearby teeth if they get hit with the tools used during the procedure. Finding a skilled and experienced dentist can help minimize the risk of accidental fractures.    

Do You Need a Morton Dental, IL, Extraction?  

Most of the time, a tooth extraction process will go smoothly, but there are rare cases where complications can arise. If you want to know more about tooth extractions and how to care for your mouth to reduce your risk of problems, we can help.  

At Smalltown Dental, we strive to deliver superior quality dental care to give you beautiful and functional smiles. Contact us today to book an appointment.