What Happens After a Tooth Extraction?  

You may think your dental problems end after your dentist in Morristown, TN, extracts your troublesome tooth. However, there’s more work to be done. While this will likely ease the pain of toothache, your dentist can’t just leave the empty tooth socket behind. Doing so can contribute to bone loss and additional dental issues in the future. For these reasons, partial dentures, a bridge, or a dental implant is usually the solution.

Why Should I Have Partial Dentures, a Bridge, or a Dental Implant?

Your body is a carefully mechanized piece of machinery, and it can break down if a cog goes missing — in this instance your adult tooth. Because the pressure of biting and chewing is part of what keeps your gums and jawbone healthy, leaving behind an empty space where a tooth once was may contribute to bone loss. If bone loss happens, the jawbone beneath the extracted tooth begins to recede, causing more problems as time goes by.

A dental implant, bridge, or denture, however, replaces that missing tooth. Because it looks and functions just like the one your dentist pulled, it tricks your body into believing your natural tooth is still in place. Your gums and jawbone stay healthy, and you don’t have to worry about developing major dental problems later on.

Which Option Is Better for Me?

Only you and your dentist can decide whether a dental implant, bridge, or partial denture is the best choice for you. Of the three, the dental implant procedure involves the most effort. You’ll have to return several times to complete the process, but you’ll be left with a permanent replacement tooth that requires no removal for cleaning or sleeping. A fixed bridge is another sound solution for tooth replacement because it’s permanently affixed to your surrounding teeth. Lastly, partial dentures may be immediate, but they do require more care. Talk with your dentist today if you have questions regarding what happens after your tooth extraction in Morristown, TN.