Removing the 6th tooth is an operation that is performed quite often. Since sixes have rather deep fissures, their complete cleaning is difficult, which provokes the rapid development of caries. Externally, such damage is difficult to determine. after all, a cavity can form under the enamel. The extraction procedure will allow you to avoid the development of unwanted diseases, and if you follow the dentist’s recommendations, complications during the rehabilitation period.
When is tooth root removal required?
The decision to remove a tooth root can only be made by the attending physician, taking into account the patient’s indications in a particular case. If the affected tooth root can be treated, then the necessary procedures can be carried out and used as a support for the crown. However, there are a number of scenarios that require mandatory root removal.
- If, as a result of advanced periodontitis, the tooth has become mobile.
- When the root of a tooth is broken or cracked and hurts, and the gums and cheek are swollen.
- If the tooth is destroyed to the level of gum tissue and cannot be restored.
- When a wisdom tooth interferes with the development and alignment of other teeth or causes constant pain.
- If there is a cyst that cannot be removed without removing the root.
- If the wall of the tooth breaks off, and the resulting fragment extends under the gum.
- When part of the root remains after tooth extraction.
Separately, it is worth noting the removal of the root of baby teeth - usually dentists prefer to let the tooth fall out on its own, but sometimes intervention is necessary, for example, when more than half of the tooth is damaged by caries; when the tooth is very loose; if a tooth is broken and its remainder injures the gums; when the root is affected by caries and there is a risk of spreading to the adjacent tooth; with severe inflammation in the root area, which cannot be eliminated without resorting to removal.
Is it painful to remove molars?
Today, only older people remember the terrible pain during the removal of molars. Nowadays, the quality of painkillers is so high that the patient does not feel pain at all, even with difficult removal. At the same time, after the anesthesia wears off, pain, of course, occurs, but it is quite tolerable and depends on how much the gum under the tooth was disturbed.
If the pain is still severe, then the dentist recommends taking a painkiller tablet. The same analgin successfully dulls pain for a long time.
In rare cases, the patient may experience throbbing and increasing pain. This annoying phenomenon occurs due to inflammation of the socket. If measures are not taken quickly, the tissue begins to fester in the hole. This process can be suppressed with drug treatment, but sometimes you have to open the gum and clean the hole from pus.
Is it possible to leave it?
Some patients can walk for years with a tooth destroyed to the ground, not realizing that rotting roots are a breeding ground for infection and, at a minimum, provoke constant bad breath. Affected roots absorb bacteria and food particles like a sponge. Over time, plaque and stone form on the remnants of the root, causing the gum tissue to become inflamed.
Often patients ignore the problem, hoping that root removal without a tooth will not be necessary, since it will come out on its own. This is a big misconception - in rare cases, a fragment of a tooth can actually come out, but not its root. Delay will only lead to the root becoming overgrown, which is why the gum will have to be cut to remove the root of the destroyed tooth.
The body's constant fight against infection in the root area means that the human immune system directs part of its resources to solve the problem. Ultimately, this will provoke the development of infection and inflammation, and for patients this turns out to be a surprise every time. In some cases, if the rotten tooth root is not removed in time, infection in the upper jaw can spread to the maxillary sinuses, and in the lower jaw it can lead to a fracture or osteomyelitis.
Signs that a root remains after tooth extraction
If the root remains in the gum after a tooth extraction was performed poorly, then the problem is difficult to identify without diagnosis. But if a lot of time has passed since the extraction, and you feel twitching or pulsation in the area of the missing tooth, acute pain due to mechanical impact, observe redness or bleeding from the gums, or increased temperature, this may very likely indicate the presence of a tooth root remnant. If a root remains in the gum after tooth extraction, the consequences will not take long to arrive. Therefore, as soon as you have such a suspicion, contact a specialist as soon as possible.
Is it possible to remove it at home?
Removing a tooth on your own is dangerous; at home, it is difficult to ensure sterility, numb the gums, ensure that the root is completely pulled out, and prevent blood loss and other complications. You can remove only a very loose tooth yourself without risk to your health.
Typically, children's loose baby teeth are removed at home. It is important to remove food debris and thoroughly disinfect the oral cavity. You need to tightly grasp the tooth with your fingers wrapped in sterile gauze, loosen it well and only then pull it. If after the second attempt you are unable to pull out the tooth, entrust this difficult manipulation to an experienced dentist without risking your health.
If the tooth comes out of the socket easily, you need to press the gauze swab firmly onto the wound to stop the bleeding and hold it for 30-40 minutes. You should refrain from eating for two hours.
If any unpleasant discomfort occurs, it is advisable to consult a dentist as soon as possible to prevent complications from developing.
Finally, I would like to remind you: simple preventive measures will allow you to keep your smile snow-white and your teeth healthy and strong for many years.
Stages of removing the root of a decayed tooth
The operation of removing the root of a tooth is a procedure even more labor-intensive than removing a whole tooth. Preparation standardly includes a visual examination of the oral cavity, diagnosis using special equipment and sanitation. The test results allow you to draw up a treatment plan in accordance with medical indications, age, health status and other characteristics of the body, as well as select the optimal instruments and anesthetics for the procedure.
How is root removal done without a tooth?
- The doctor injects the patient with a local anesthetic, selected in such a way as to exclude allergies and other body reactions.
- After 10 minutes (when the anesthetic has taken effect), the circular ligament is separated from the neck of the tooth. If there is no inflammation of the gum tissue, then they are also moved away from the edge of the alveoli. If the root is deeply recessed into the hole or has become overgrown, then you will need to cut the gum and drill out part of the bone tissue to access the root.
- Next, the tooth root is removed using forceps or a dental elevator. If the tooth has a multi-root system, it will first be separated using a drill or ultrasound, and then removed in parts. This is called complex removal.
- After removing the tooth root, the hole is treated with a special solution. If the gum is cut, then after the operation sutures are placed and the operated area is treated with drugs that will help speed up healing.
Note!
Removing the root of the upper teeth is somewhat different from removing the roots of the lower jaw tooth. The roots of the lower jaw are most often removed using elevators: the instrument is placed between the gum bone tissue and the root and the handle is rotated. When removing the roots of the teeth of the upper jaw, bayonet-shaped forceps are often used - medium for canines, incisors and premolars and wide for molars. Using a tool, the circular ligament of the tooth is first peeled off, then single roots are twisted, and those connected to each other are dislocated.
Features of wisdom tooth root removal
When removing the root of wisdom teeth, the complexity of the procedure is added by the fact that figure eights often grow at an angle; accordingly, their roots are located perpendicular to the roots of neighboring teeth. Therefore, the procedure is carried out using x-rays, especially if the crown is destroyed. The procedure should be carried out by an experienced specialist to eliminate the possibility that a root remains after the removal of a wisdom tooth.
Causes of caries
The main reason for the appearance of caries in wisdom teeth is their location. The third molars erupt last and at the very end of the dentition. The distant location greatly complicates the process of daily brushing of teeth. If the lower eights are visually accessible and if the cleaning with a toothbrush is poor, the procedure can be repeated, then the upper molars remain in a “blind” and hard-to-reach area.
Bacterial plaque, which gradually accumulates on the walls of the tooth, begins to destroy the enamel. Due to the absence of signs of damage at the initial stage and poor visibility of the tooth itself, the carious process progresses and penetrates deeper. As a rule, people turn to the dentist already at the stage of deep caries or pulpitis.
The cause of wisdom teeth caries can also be:
- carious lesion of the adjacent tooth;
- caries of the opposite eight.
Impacted, that is, partially erupted figure eights, are also often affected by caries, despite the fact that they are partially hidden by the gum. With insufficient hygiene, food particles and bacterial deposits penetrate under the gingival hood. As a result, the process of tissue destruction begins.
Tooth root removal under anesthesia
As a rule, root removal is performed under local anesthesia, but if the patient has a complex tooth root extraction, or if he has intolerance to local anesthetics or dentophobia, the specialist performs the procedure for tooth root removal under general anesthesia. This allows all manipulations to be carried out with complete comfort for the patient - while he is sleeping. However, this method has a number of serious contraindications: its use can have a negative effect on the heart, kidneys and brain. In addition, patients often experience nausea, headache, and confusion as they emerge from anesthesia. Therefore, they try to resort to anesthesia only as a last resort, giving preference to sedation. This is a modern type of general anesthesia, which involves deep relaxation, during which the patient remains conscious and can contact the doctor, but with this type of tooth root removal, pain and stress are completely eliminated.
Contraindications to extraction of upper teeth
For the extraction procedure, there are situations that limit its implementation. It should be noted that almost all contraindications are relative. Once the restrictions have been removed, extraction can proceed. These factors are:
- acute infectious diseases;
- bleeding disorders;
- I and III trimester of pregnancy;
- menstruation;
- diabetes;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- exacerbation of mental disorders.
Extraction, especially of the 6th upper tooth, is highly undesirable for pregnant women. The effects of anesthetic and stress are very strong. In case of emergency surgery, the doctor takes responsibility and carries out the procedure as carefully as possible. This requires extensive experience and qualifications of a maxillofacial surgeon.
Tooth root amputation as a treatment
In some cases, complete tooth root removal can be replaced by a tooth-saving operation called amputation. This is the removal of part of the tooth root, allowing you to save a healthy fragment. During the procedure, the affected area is cut off and the cavity is filled with osteoplastic mass.
Tooth-preserving extraction operations also include hemisection, in which part of the root system is removed along with the adjacent crown area. These two methods allow you to preserve the physiological function of the tooth and use it to install a bridge. It is important to understand: no doctor can guarantee that such a tooth will last a long time, since partial loss of the root will lead to a violation of the stability of the tooth. Therefore, if you notice that for a long time after root removal the tooth hurts or causes you other discomfort, you should definitely contact your doctor.
Why do sixth teeth need restoration more often than others?
The sixth teeth (or first molars according to dental classification) are classified as molars. They are laid at the 5th month of intrauterine development, mineralization begins from the 9th month of the intrauterine period, and continues for another month after the birth of the child. The enamel of the “tooth germs” located in the jaw bone finally matures by 1-2 years. The correct formation of molars depends on the course of pregnancy and childbirth.
Molars do not appear at an early age; they do not have predecessors (baby teeth). They begin to erupt at 5-6 years of age, the first of the permanent radical units. The structure of the first molars differs from other teeth of the chewing group - the maxillary sixes have three roots and four canals, the mandibular sixes have two roots and three canals. These are the largest molars, characterized by a wide tuberous surface.
The chewing group, in particular the first molars, are most susceptible to the destructive effects of bacteria and excessive mechanical stress. This is the main cause of irreversible damage to the tooth structure and its loss.
How much does tooth root removal cost?
As a rule, the price for tooth root removal is determined based on the complexity of the case, and can vary greatly depending on the segment of the clinic, the qualifications of the doctor and other factors. Standard removal starts at an average of 3,000 rubles, complex removal will cost at least 5,000 rubles. Your attending physician will help you make more accurate calculations based on the diagnostic results. In any case, the sooner you go to the clinic, the less likely it is that complications will develop, especially since modern dental offices have all the capabilities to carry out the procedure efficiently and minimize the unpleasant consequences of tooth root removal.
