It is relatively common to experience swelling in the mouth after extracting a tooth. In most cases, the swelling is only minimal and goes away after a short while. However, you may experience severe swelling under the following circumstances:
The Tooth Is Not Intact
An intact Tooth is easier to remove because the dentist just grasps the tooth with the forceps and pulls it out. If there is nothing else wrong with the tooth then this procedure is only done once. However, if the tooth is broken into two or more pieces, then the dentist has to perform this procedure several times. This increases the risk and severity of tissue damage and with it the risk of swelling.
The Tooth Is Impacted
An impacted tooth is one that doesn't push through the gums fully when it is erupting. This may happen if the tooth is obstructed, for example, if another tooth is blocking its path. It may also happen if the mouth/jaw is crowded and cannot accommodate all the teeth. Irrespective of what is causing the teeth to be impacted, the dentist will need to perform a minor dental surgery to extract the tooth. Again, this causes extensive tissue damage and irritation that result into more swelling.
Some Bone Tissues Were Removed
In a clean tooth extraction, only the tooth is removed and the tissue damage is minimal. However, if the tooth is being extracted because it is infected, there are chances that the infection has spread to the jawbone. If the dentist confirms this to be the case, then depending on the nature and extent of the disease, they may also have to remove some bone tissues. An appropriate example is if you are suffering from oral cancer and the dentist has to remove both the tooth and some part of the jawbone to prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
The Extraction Was Difficult
Sometimes, even an extraction that looks simple may turn out to be difficult. This may be the case, for example, if the tooth is more strongly attached to the jawbone than the dentist first believed. This may lengthen the duration of the extraction and even cause more damage to your soft tissues. Anything that damages the soft tissues increases the risk and extent of swelling.
Your dentist will explain to you what to expect before proceeding with the extraction. The dentist will also instruct you on what to do to minimize the swelling. Follow the advice keenly to avoid the swelling and other post-extraction difficulties.
Share2 November 2017
Do you have a different doctor from your spouse? Does your child see a pediatrician? Most families have different medical health providers for different members of the family. This makes sense in most cases, but did you know that you can find a dentist who will treat every person in the family from a baby to a senior? I'm a manager or a family dentist, and in this blog you will learn why a family dentist is a great idea. I will tell you the many advantages of taking every family member to the same dentist, and I will give you tips of finding the right dental office for your family.