How To Tell When It's Time To Get a Tooth Pulled
Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. is proud to offer affordable dental care in Wasilla, AK and surrounding areas. We help individuals suffering from dental pain, tooth decay and periodontal disease receive the treatments they need at flexible, affordable prices.
Toothaches, visible tooth decay and periodontal disease can completely disrupt a person’s life. For individuals suffering from extensive tooth decay, the pain, swelling and difficulty eating can become unbearable.
It can be difficult to know when it’s finally time to visit a dentist about a problem tooth. Sometimes, the damage to a tooth is so significant that oral surgery or a root canal cannot relieve the pain or protect the tooth. In these situations, an extraction (getting the tooth pulled) is the most beneficial option. Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. specializes in family dentistry, including dental extractions, in the Mat-Su Valley.
How do you know if it’s finally time to get a tooth pulled? Here are the most important signs to look for.
The Tooth Is Impacted
An impacted tooth is one that has been prevented or blocked from erupting normally through the gum tissue. Essentially, it’s a tooth that is trapped under the gum tissue.
Wisdom teeth are the most commonly extracted teeth, especially if there is crowding in the surrounding teeth. Maxillary canines are also prone to becoming impacted. Most dentists will recommend removing impacted wisdom teeth, while impacted maxillary canines are more likely to be treated and preserved.
Symptoms of tooth impaction include:
Red and swollen gums- Gums that bleed easily, especially when brushed or flossed
- Unpleasant breath
- Pain when opening or closing your mouth
- Painful chewing and biting
Many people with impacted teeth experience facial swelling and discomfort, as well as a constant bad taste in the mouth.
Impacted teeth often necessitate tooth removal because they can lead to serious problems with surrounding teeth, including accelerated gum disease and damage to surrounding teeth.
The Tooth Is Infected
Infection in the gum tissue surrounding a tooth can be painful and even dangerous.
When a tooth becomes infected, it is known as
an abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pocket of bacteria-filled pus and debris that can develop on various areas of a tooth.
Symptoms of an infected or abscessed tooth include:
Severe, nearly unbearable toothache- Tooth sensitivity when eating or drinking hot or cold things
- Fever
- Pain or difficulty when chewing
- Facial, jaw or neck swelling near the site of the abscess
- A foul-smelling or foul-tasting discharge from the site of the abscess
When an abscess is particularly severe, some patients experience difficulty breathing or swallowing.
It is vital that you visit an emergency room immediately if you experience severe symptoms related to a tooth abscess.
Abscesses do not get better without treatment, and they may turn into a life-threatening infection if left untreated.
Many abscesses become so severe that a tooth must be pulled in order for the underlying infection to be cleared.
If you suspect you have an abscessed tooth, contact a reputable dental office immediately.
The Tooth Has Significant Decay
A cavity is a permanently decayed or damaged area of a tooth. Damaged from a cavity cannot be reversed once it develops.
Teeth that are significantly damaged by tooth decay are brittle, have visible holes or black patches, and are highly vulnerable to infection.
Often, teeth with significant decay develop infections and become extremely brittle and damaged. Highly decayed teeth often need to be extracted to provide pain relief and to prevent the tooth’s root from being irreparably damaged.
When a tooth that has significant decay is extracted, patients can replace the decayed tooth with a crown, bridge or dental implant. Dental implants provide stability and support for the bone that remains in the jaw and functions most similarly to a natural tooth.
If you have a tooth with visible decay, are experiencing intense dental pain or have other serious symptoms, it’s important to schedule an appointment with a dentist immediately.
Dental Extractions in Wasilla, AK + the Mat-Su Valley
The dental care team at Mat-Su Health Services in Wasilla and Big Lake, AK is proud to offer general and family dentistry services.
Our team provides necessary dental care, including dental extractions, on a sliding fee scale. We offer services to both insured and uninsured individuals in the Mat-Su Valley. No patient is denied care due to inability to pay.
Contact Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. today to schedule your dental appointment.
Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.
We receive federal funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration and are also known as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Mat-Su Health Services primary care clinic is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).