When one of your teeth has suffered serious damage, it may be necessary to have it extracted. Unfortunately, there are many people that are uninformed about the process of having a tooth removed, and this can cause them to be unsure of what they should expect from this procedure. To help you be better prepared for this routine dental procedure, you should consider the following few questions and answers about this procedure.

How Do You Know If Your Tooth Will Need To Be Extracted?

Unfortunately, it can be extremely difficult for you to know whether your tooth can be saved or not. Often, cases of severe tooth decay, infection and other problems can be repaired with root canals and crowns. As a result, you should visit your dentist as soon as you notice a problem with your teeth to help improve your chances of saving the tooth.

What Should You Expect When Recovering From A Tooth Extraction?

The process of recovering from a tooth extraction may seem like it would be lengthy and painful. However, many patients will find that their mouth will heal fairly quickly following this procedure. During your recovery, you might experience some mild discomfort and swelling around the site of the extracted tooth. Also, you will want to keep the site as clean as possible to help minimize the risk of an infection developing. To this end, your dentist will likely prescribe you a mouthwash that will keep the wound as sterile as possible.

How Can You Correct The Cosmetic And Functional Issues Caused By A Missing Tooth?

Having a tooth extracted can be a stressful experience because you may be concerned about the effects that it will have on your appearance. However, you should know that there are a number of cosmetic procedures that you can do to help correct this problem. For example, you can opt to have a dental bridge install. This is an artificial tooth that rests on the gums and is anchored to the neighboring teeth. Another treatment can be to have a dental implant placed. These implants are installed directly into the jawbone, and they can help to provide a more permanent solution.

Suspecting that you need to have a tooth extracted does not have to be a stressful experience. By understanding that only our dentist can determine whether an extraction is necessary, what you should expect during your recovery and the options for addressing the cosmetic issues the extraction can cause you will be better informed, which may help to keep your stress about this procedure lower. Go here for more information.