Dentistry-Online

Wound healing disorder on the tooth

introduction

When a visit to the dentist is just around the corner, many people have an uncomfortable feeling in the back of their minds.
If a tooth has to be extracted, excitement and fear are often inevitable.
Once the procedure is over, the risk of a subsequent, painful wound healing disorder is rather low.
Appropriate prevention and cooperation can also significantly reduce the risk of wound healing disorders in the mouth area.

Healthy wound healing

After an operation on our teeth, e.g. After tooth extraction, the surgical wound initially fills quickly with blood.
Red and white blood cells, as well as components of the blood clotting chain, form a "blood plug" and thus close the wound.
Destroyed tissue is removed by specialized cells in our body and gradually replaced so that after some time the original wound is no longer visible.

Read more on the topic: Tooth extraction

Impaired wound healing

In the case of a wound healing disorder, a stable "blood clot" cannot form for various reasons. Remnants of the surgical wound, such as destroyed gums, cannot be broken down and form an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

If e.g. A tooth has been pulled, even parts of our jawbone can be exposed and colonized by bacteria. This infection causes a painful inflammation and makes wound healing much more difficult.

Read more on the topic: Wound healing disorder

Cause of a wound healing disorder on the tooth

Basically, wounds in the area of the tooth or mouth heal well, so that wound healing disorders are rarely observed.
However, several reasons seem to play a role:

The larger the wound, the higher the risk of impaired wound healing.
Smoking lowers the ability to regenerate and promotes inflammation, so that tissue heals more poorly.
Bad oral hygiene increases infections.
Pre-existing tooth inflammation promotes bacterial growth.
Tooth removal in the lower jaw.
In some cases, taking hormonal contraceptives ("the pill") prevent the formation of stable blood clots.

Wound healing disorder after tooth extraction / surgery

Wound healing disorders can most often be observed after operations on the tooth, such as a tooth extraction.
Because if a tooth is pulled during a small operation, a significant wound occurs in our gums or jaw.
Especially with larger teeth, e.g. the wisdom teeth, the wound area is sometimes very considerable.
The larger and, above all, the deeper the wound, the greater the risk of impaired healing.
The duration of the operation also seems to play a role. Because the longer the operation, the longer bacteria can get into the wound.

Read more on the topic: Tooth extraction

Wound healing disorder after placing a dental implant

Wound healing disorders may well occur after an implantation. This occurs when the sutured wound becomes infected with bacteria, causing severe inflammation. This condition can spread out around the implant and extend deep into the bone. The inflammation of the tissue around the implant is called "Peri-implantitis". In the worst case, peri-implantitis can lead to the implant not growing in place and the dental implant having to be removed.

Find out more at: Risks of a dental implant

Other reasons for a wound healing disorder can be medication that has been taken, which means that an implant wound does not grow together well and as a result the implant does not grow in properly or is rejected by the body. These include Parkinson's medication and Bisphosphonatesthat at osteoporosis be prescribed. The systemic disease Diabetes mellitus and Kidney disease can also cause implant wounds to heal more poorly.

Smoking can also cause impaired wound healing. The more cigarettes that are consumed over a long period of time, the higher the risk of suffering from a wound healing disorder.

Symptoms of a wound healing disorder on the tooth

Depending on the severity, a wound healing disorder in the area of the tooth can be extremely painful. Typically, those affected are initially symptom-free for the first 1-3 days after the dental procedure.
Subsequently, in a short time, strong pain.
They mostly have a throbbing character in the area of the wound and often shine in regions of the face, e.g. Ears or temples.

In contrast to healthy wound healing, the wound remains “empty” in the event of a healing disorder or is filled with a greasy, sometimes foul-smelling mass.
Adjacent lymph nodes such as on the neck, can be painfully enlarged.

In the case of larger wound healing disorders, those affected even describe fever and general complaints such as tiredness, weakness or headache.

Pain in wound healing disorders

The pain of a wound healing disorder is usually inflammation. The gums in the affected area are usually red and can also be swollen. The gums can cause a burning pain every time they come into contact with the tongue and feel warmed up.

Find out more at: Inflammation of the gums

This pain can also be triggered while chewing if pressure is applied to the tooth. The tooth is pressed into the inflamed tissue, which leads to severe pulling discomfort. If the wound healing disorder persists for a long time, the tooth may begin to loosen, making it wobbly.

It is noticeable that cool drinks and cooling compresses lead to the symptoms being alleviated and the pain disappearing.

Read more at: Toothache - What To Do?

What to do if the tooth is not healing properly

Pronounced wound healing disorders must be treated in good time.
Possible therapy includes antibiotics, either in the form of tablets, ointments or mouth rinses, disinfecting wound packs and, above all, adequate pain therapy.

Unnecessary mouthwashes that are not recommended by a dentist should be avoided as they often do more harm than good.

It is also advisable to follow general behavioral measures, such as physical restraint.
If, despite the above measures, there is no improvement, it may be necessary to think about a new dental procedure.

When do you need antibiotics?

Antibiotic use is indicated if a wound is infected. In this case, a swab is taken from the wound to see which bacteria are causing the disordered wound healing.

Then the appropriate antibiotic can be selected and administered.

prophylaxis

Especially after a dental operation, you can prevent wound healing disorders with simple measures:

Refrain from cigarettes, pipes or cigars.
In the first few days after the operation, you should have your Cool face regularly. For this purpose, e.g. Ice packs or ice packs.
During the first days of the healing phase, acidic drinks (e.g. fruit juices), alcohol and strong coffee should be avoided if possible.
Look out for one thorough oral hygiene. Avoid the area of the wound and use a softer toothbrush if necessary.
As part of the natural healing process, a yellowish coating on the wound. Many sufferers mistakenly mistake this coating for pus and peel it off. Ideally, the wound should not be touched with the fingers. This is particularly difficult for children!

Duration of healing

In the case of a wound healing disorder, the healing time is always longer than the normal healing time. The following applies: the more severe the inflammation, the longer the healing time, as the inflammation is fought first before the wound can then heal.

The wound healing disorders caused by taking medication must be considered separately, as some medications mean that a wound can no longer heal at all without surgical cover. This includes drugs for that osteoporosis-Treatment that interferes with bone metabolism and makes bacterially infected bones even more difficult to heal.