3 Potential Complications After A Tooth Extraction – And How A Dental Implant Can Help
A tooth extraction is a necessary evil in cases where a tooth has become too damaged or unstable due to trauma or poor oral healthcare. The extraction process is fairly straightforward but, as with any major dental procedure, can produce some complications afterwards. The complications have a variety of treatments that vary according to the severity and nature of the problem. In one case, the quick addition of a dental implant can help.
Bone Fragments
The extraction process normally doesn't cause any additional damage or issues to the surrounding bone. But if your bone is already weak, it is possible that the bone can chip or fragment during the extraction process. Those chips can then work their way to the surface and poke out through the soft tissue during the healing process. The bone can irritate the soft tissue and potentially cause some inflammation.
Bone fragments are relatively easy to remove. Your dentist can use handheld tools to simply tug the fragments out in most cases. But the presence of fragments hints at weakened bone, which leads in to another potential complication of extraction.
Bone Loss
The roots of a natural tooth do more than hold the tooth in place. The roots and attached ligaments move subtly in a way that rubs on the jawbone and promotes its continued growth. Losing a tooth takes away the bone growth stimulant and thus can start leading to bone loss shortly after the tooth is removed.
Bone loss might be a major concern if you already suffered bone fragments during the procedure due to bone weakness. Continued deterioration can end up threatening the health of neighboring teeth and make it more difficult to receive a dental implant at a later stage, if that is your dental replacement option of choice.
If your bone loss is currently minor, the dentist might be able to still implant a dental implant. The inserted metal root will help stimulate bone growth the same way a natural tooth root would.
Dry Socket
When a tooth is extracted, a blood clot forms over the socket to serve as a natural covering that facilitates healing. If the clot fails to form or breaks up too quickly, the bone socket can be exposed. The exposure can lead to significant pain in the area of the extracted tooth.
Dry socket is fairly uncommon and, while painful, highly treatable. Your dentist will prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication and apply a medical dressing to cover the socket until the soft tissue can heal shut on its own.
For a local dentist, contact an office such as Sun Dental & Orthodontics.
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