Teeth extraction in children

Dentists use tooth extraction in children only when it is no longer possible to save a baby tooth. However, this dental process is accompanied by a number of features. Children are extremely sensitive, so the dentist must also be a good psychologist to find an approach to the little patient.

If baby teeth grow without problems, then there is no need to go to the dentist to remove them, in this case the tooth itself loosens and then falls out, minor bleeding after this is a completely normal process. After the tooth has fallen out, it is necessary to let the child rinse the mouth with an antiseptic solution or herbal decoction (chamomile) to stop the bleeding and prevent infection from getting into the wound.

Indications for tooth extraction in children

Dentists approach the issue of removing the first teeth with extreme caution. Intervention in a child's unformed dental system can lead to the fact that the rudiments of future permanent teeth will be damaged or an incorrect bite will form.

Tooth extraction in children is necessary in the following cases:

• severely advanced carious process;
• severe trauma to a tooth or jaw;
• in case of severe tooth mobility (especially if the condition is complicated by root resorption);
• in case of abnormal eruption of permanent teeth;
• in case of concomitant diseases (purulent inflammations in the oral cavity, sinusitis, etc.);
• if there are orthodontic indications.

Tooth extraction surgery in children

Tooth extraction in children usually occurs without problems, but is associated with some features of the structure of the child's jaw. First of all, this is associated with the rudiments of permanent teeth, which require increased attention from the dentist. Usually, the operation to extract a tooth is not very complicated, but requires caution from the specialist, since the alveolar walls of a child's tooth are quite thin and the roots are clearly diverging. Incorrect movement or too much pressure on the tooth can damage the bases of the molars.

The dentist extracts the tooth with special pliers, which he uses to fix the tooth without applying much pressure and gently pull it out of the gum. For several days after the extraction, it is recommended to rinse the oral cavity with special anti-inflammatory agents to avoid inflammation.

Peculiarities of tooth extraction in children

Nowadays, modern dental services offer the maximum list of services not only for treatment, but also for prevention of oral diseases in children. The structure of children's milk teeth is not the same as permanent teeth in adulthood, which means that the approach to treatment should be somewhat different, more delicate.

Nowadays, pediatric dentistry focuses its efforts not only on treatment, but also on ensuring that the child can trust the dentist and not be afraid of treating and removing teeth.

Tooth extraction in children is the most complex operation in dentistry. Sometimes situations arise when preserving a tooth can lead to even more serious consequences than its extraction. Throughout life, children's teeth go through three stages of development, each of which depends on the change in bite. At each stage of development of children's teeth, extraction has its own characteristics. It is extremely important to ensure that after extraction, deformation does not begin in the dental row and that there is enough space left for a permanent tooth.

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Extraction of baby teeth in children

A baby tooth begins to wobble after the erupting molar pushes it out from underneath. However, as already mentioned, there are cases when a baby tooth is removed prematurely (injuries, illnesses, etc.). If teeth are removed in children much earlier than the due date, a pediatric dentist may recommend installing a special structure (retainer) to preserve space for the future molar.

Milk teeth are the basis for the normal development of facial muscles, bones, jaws, and they also save space for permanent teeth. In fact, they pave the way for permanent teeth and determine their location in the oral cavity. While milk teeth are preserved (up to a certain point), the child has a spatial balance in the oral cavity.

Early extraction can lead to the neighboring teeth starting to "shrink" towards each other, covering the empty space (they can move forward or fall back). In this case, there is no space for the permanent tooth to grow, so it can start to grow crooked. If you do not pay attention to this problem in time, then in the future you may need long-term treatment from an orthodontist. A design called a retainer (plates that can be either removable or non-removable) was developed especially for cases when a baby tooth was prematurely removed. Such plates serve to hold the space for a permanent tooth in the mouth until a certain moment. Usually, such plates are installed at the age of 3-4 years.

Removal of a permanent tooth in a child

A dentist can recommend the removal of a permanent tooth only in extreme cases of severe complications of the carious process, which are accompanied by severe inflammation, when treatment is impossible, and preserving the tooth is dangerous to health.

Also, an indication for the removal of a permanent tooth may be a violation of the bone structure, trauma (when it is on the fracture line), an existing impacted tooth (unerupted, which is hindered by the gum or bone, since it is a potential source of inflammation), severe periodontosis (with severe mobility).

Tooth extraction in children may be necessary in case of fractures of the crown of the tooth, when it is the source of inflammation or the pulp is exposed.

Removal of a supernumerary tooth in a child

A supernumerary tooth is an extra tooth in the oral cavity, which is usually located near the central or lateral incisors, as well as canines. On average, extra teeth are observed in 3% of people with anomalies of the dental system.

As a rule, such a tooth grows on the upper jaw already in adulthood, in childhood, when the child still has a milk bite, such teeth are extremely rare. In shape, they can resemble ordinary ones, or be similar to a drop, in some cases there is a connection between the molars and supernumerary teeth.

A supernumerary tooth disrupts the integrity of the dental row, as well as the process of tooth growth, so it is recommended to remove them early, preferably immediately after detection. If the supernumerary tooth resembles a regular tooth in shape, the dentist may, at his discretion, remove the tooth that is located in the least favorable place. If the extra tooth does not disrupt the integrity of the dental row, then it may not be removed.

After the removal of such teeth in childhood, there is no need for additional correction of the dental anomaly that such teeth led to, but if the removal occurred at a later age, then an orthodontist consultation is required.

Tooth extraction in children is performed under anesthesia (general or local), and the recovery period is usually uneventful.

Complications after tooth extraction in a child

Complications after the extraction of baby teeth (if everything is done carefully), as a rule, do not occur; this can be caused by the dentist's carelessness during the operation. Complications after tooth extraction usually arise due to trauma to the sockets. The roots of the baby tooth can break off, and the search for and extraction of pieces (in particular, the dentist's careless movement) can lead to damage and severe inflammatory processes.

Also, tooth extraction in children may proceed with a violation of the technique, which will lead to dislocation of the rudiment and inflammation, and in the future, the growth of a permanent tooth will be problematic. If dislocation of the rudiment occurs during extraction, the dentist must take all measures to restore it. Less often, extraction is complicated by injuries to blood vessels, damage to adjacent tissues, and opening of the maxillary sinuses.

Unfortunately, in some cases, tooth extraction in children cannot be avoided. To avoid this, it is necessary to monitor the health of the child's oral cavity, promptly treat caries and other diseases of children's teeth.

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