Pediatric Tooth Extractions Are Essential for Teeth Damaged by Injury or Decay
Primary dental extractions are relatively standard in pediatric dentistry. However, pediatric tooth extractions near you may become necessary if they are severely impacted by decay or injury. The most common extractions among children are baby molars because they are prone to cavities and need surgical removal. However, extractions of front teeth are simple procedures because they only have one root instead of multiple roots.
Why are Pediatric Tooth Extractions Necessary?
The familiar reasons for pediatric tooth extractions from the kid’s dentist near you include:
Tooth Decay
Baby teeth are victims of tooth decay, which generally results in extractions. Cavities can form on your child’s molars because they have fragile enamel. Moreover, children do not follow appropriate dental care practices making their teeth more susceptible to decay.
Untreated tooth decay in children also results in more severe oral health issues and diseases. When a primary tooth becomes infected, the bacteria spreads to the other teeth to affect the developing permanent teeth. In addition, extraction of a primary tooth also encourages the permanent teeth to move into the open space at the site of the extraction leading to crooked and crowded teeth.
Injuries
Children’s primary teeth incur damage from injury, accidents, falls, or improper dental restorations. When baby teeth become broken, fractured, or fully separated from the socket, they endure pain and enhanced sensitivity. Depending on the severity of the damage, the pediatric dental office in Martinsville tries to preserve the tooth by performing pediatric pulp therapy and provides a dental crown. However, the tooth often needs removal and replacement with a space maintainer until the permanent tooth emerges.
Gum Disease
Inflammation is caused in the gingival tissues by gingivitis. Gingivitis results in bleeding, redness, and swelling of the gums. When left untreated, the infection progresses to pediatric periodontal disease, a severe oral condition affecting the gums and the jawbone. Severe afflictions of pediatric periodontal disease loosen the teeth and cause receding gums besides severe bleeding. Pediatric tooth extractions from the kid’s dentist in Martinsville become necessary if the teeth do not fall out by themselves.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
The emergency pediatric dentist in Martinsville often meets patients with impacted wisdom teeth, the third molars partially growing or sticking below the gums. The dentist recommends extractions to reduce the chances of infections and jaw misalignment. In addition, children developing early signs of impacted teeth at young ages often have their teeth removed to prevent health problems later. The issues include gum disease and cavities besides root resorption.
Orthodontic Treatment
Children needing orthodontic treatment to straighten their teeth are often recommended extracting over retrained baby teeth which results in crowding. As a result, children suffer misalignments because of crowding and need to have teeth removed before receiving treatment with braces to correct their dental imperfections.
Pediatric Tooth Extraction Procedure
X-rays of your child’s teeth help the dentist or overall surgeons predict any complications before dental procedures. In addition, the x-rays help determine the position of the tooth’s roots and the encircling bone structure.
Dr. Brown performs primary tooth extractions under local anesthesia, a safe membrane-stabilizing drug that doesn’t result in unconsciousness. The local anesthesia is delivered into your child’s mouth to numb the area and eliminate pain. However, the numbness is temporary and lasts for a few hours.
After giving your child local anesthesia, tiny instruments are used by the doctor to remove the tooth. After tooth removal, the doctor ensures the bone around the tooth is not damaged. Next, the tooth socket is covered with sterile gauze, and pressure is applied for approximately 20 minutes.
Maintaining The Vacant Space
After tooth removal, dentists recommend placing a space maintainer to ensure the child’s permanent tooth emerges correctly. Space maintainers are orthodontic devices that prevent the movement of the neighboring teeth towards the vacant space depending on the patient’s mouth size. If your child has sufficient space in the mouth to allow the permanent tooth to emerge, a space maintainer may not be necessary.
Pediatric Tooth Extraction After Care
Your child will experience moderate pain after tooth extraction surgery. They can return to regular activities within a few days. However, the dentist recommends medications such as anti-inflammatories and pain relievers to speed the recovery process to alleviate the pain and symptoms.
Your child can use an ice pack on their cheeks to reduce swelling and pain during the recovery process. However, they are recommended not to indulge in strenuous activity and subsist on a diet of soft foods because having complex foods can dislodge the blood clot necessitating additional dental care.