My Tooth Is on Fire! Do I Need an Extraction?

Your tooth hurts, and it’s steadily gotten worse over the last day or two, even as you tried to ignore the pain.

You can’t ignore it anymore. Your tooth is on fire, and you’re worried you need an extraction.

While that concern is understandable, extraction isn’t a foregone conclusion. Sure, you may indeed need to have your tooth pulled, but saving the tooth may also be possible.

That’s where an experienced local dentist such as Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar at American Dental Clinic comes in. He can help you determine if you need an extraction.

Here’s what he wants you to know.

Signs you need a tooth extraction

The most common sign is severe tooth pain that won’t go away. Insistent, intense pain usually signals a serious problem, such as a deep infection or nerve damage.

An abscess, or pocket of pus and infection in the tooth’s pulp, can lead to extraction if the infection causes too much damage. Sometimes, a root canal is enough to get rid of the infection and save the tooth — the solution may depend on how far the infection has spread.

If your pain stems from nerve damage caused by a loose, broken, or damaged tooth, extraction may be necessary. 

In other cases, the nerve may be fine, but trauma (such as a blow to the face) has chipped, cracked, or broken one of your teeth. You may need an emergency extraction to avoid further complications.

Dr. Aguilar performs a physical exam (and possibly an X-ray) to determine the source of your pain and decide whether an extraction is necessary.

What does an extraction involve?

If you need an extraction, Dr. Aguilar uses local anesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue. (Sedation options are available if you experience dental anxiety.) 

He uses specialized dental instruments to loosen and remove the tooth before cleaning and disinfecting the socket. You may also need stitches to help the healing process.

The dental team places gauze over the extraction site, and you bite down, putting firm pressure on the gauze to slow the bleeding. You may experience light bleeding for 24 hours or so. 

You should feel back to normal and return to routine activities within a couple of days.

If you’re looking for immediate help for a painful tooth, our American Dental Clinic team can help. Call our office at 858-215-2951 for assistance right away. For other dental issues, feel free to book your appointment online.