Oral Surgeries That Alleviate Pain
Although many dental procedures are routine, oral surgeries can be invasive and quite specialized. Still, to relieve oral discomfort, a surgical procedure may be necessary.
Here are a few examples of oral surgeries that are used to keep your mouth pain-free.
Root Canal
A root canal procedure is used to alleviate the chronic discomfort associated with a tooth. When a tooth becomes painfully sensitive or inflamed due to trauma or a dental infection, the resulting toothache may not go away. The pain is typically caused by damage to the dental nerves.
The dental nerves lie in the central portion of a tooth, which is called the pulp. The soft material that makes up the pulp may become inflamed. In some cases, the pulp may even die.
Once the nerves within the pulp are damaged beyond repair, there are few options to stop the resulting discomfort. They include a root canal procedure or a dental extraction. Since many people desire to keep their natural teeth, a root canal is often chosen.
During the root canal procedure, the oral surgeon drills a hole in the tooth to remove the pulp. As the pulp is removed, the dental nerves that it contains are also extracted, eliminating the source of the pain.
Once the tooth is emptied, it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Subsequently, the tooth is filled and capped to complete the restorative procedure.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
The wisdom teeth are the final teeth to present in the mouth. Instead of making their appearance in early childhood, the teeth tend to erupt during the late teen or early adult years.
As the wisdom teeth present, they cause a great deal of discomfort. The teeth, which are the third molars in the mouth, are located in the very back of the oral cavity. Their eruption can place undue pressure on the teeth that are already in position. In fact, the presentation of the wisdom teeth can generate so much force that adjacent teeth can be moved out of position.
Additionally, some wisdom teeth do not grow in a straight alignment. As a result, they may never erupt properly but may still place painful pressure on the other teeth while still remaining below the surface of the gums.
To remove a wisdom tooth, an oral surgeon may be able to perform a simple extraction if the tooth has already fully presented. However, a surgical extraction, which involves cutting the gums, is necessary if all or a portion of a wisdom tooth is still covered by gingival tissue.
To learn more about oral surgeries that stop pain, contact the office of a local oral surgeon to schedule a consultation.
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