Quick Answer: How do you know if a severe toothache requires a routine filling or an immediate emergency tooth extraction? You likely need us to pull the tooth immediately if you notice:
- Trauma where you broke the tooth below the gumline.
- Swelling that spreads to your jaw or neck.
- A pimple-like bump on your gums (abscess).
- Pain that over-the-counter medication cannot relieve.
- A tooth that wiggles because of infection.
Is It an Emergency Tooth Extraction or Can It Wait?
As a dentist in San Antonio, the most common panicked question I hear is, “Doc, can’t we just fill it?”
We always try to save teeth first. However, a “point of no return” exists where keeping the tooth endangers your overall health more than removing it. If you experience any of the following 5 signs, stop browsing and call Hernandez Dental & Implant Center. You likely need an emergency tooth extraction today.
1. The “Hidden” Fracture (Broken Below the Gumline)
If you chip a tooth while eating popcorn, it is usually just cosmetic. However, if a tooth cracks vertically or breaks below the gumline, we often cannot restore it with a crown.
- The Danger: A deep crack acts like a highway for bacteria to travel directly past the gum tissue and into your jawbone.
- The Fix: We must perform an emergency extraction to stop the bacterial flow and prevent bone infection.
2. Severe Swelling (The “Chipmunk” Look)
Puffy gums near one tooth are one thing; swelling that changes your face shape is another. If you notice swelling in your jaw, cheek, or especially spreading down your neck, you face a major medical emergency.
- Why it happens: This indicates a massive infection spreading from the tooth root into the surrounding deep facial tissues.
- Warning: If the swelling impacts your breathing or swallowing, go to the ER immediately, then come to us for the emergency tooth extraction.
3. A “Pimple” on Your Gums (Dental Abscess)
Do you see a small, white, or red bump on the gum near the painful tooth? Patients often mistake this for a canker sore. It is actually a draining fistula, your body’s attempt to push pus out of the bone due to a severe dental abscess.
- The Reality: Antibiotics alone will not cure this long-term. They dampen the symptoms temporarily, but we must remove the source of the infection (the dying tooth) to stop it from returning.
4. The Tooth is Loose (And You Are an Adult)
Unless a baseball hits you in the face, an adult tooth should never be loose.
- The Cause: If a tooth wiggles during chewing, it usually means advanced Periodontal Disease destroyed the bone holding it, or the root itself fractured beneath the surface.
- The Verdict: A loose tooth is effectively “dead weight” that harbors bacteria. An emergency tooth extraction often relieves the pain instantly.
5. Pain That Wakes You Up at Night
A standard cavity might hurt when you drink cold water (sensitivity). But a dying nerve hurts spontaneously. This deep, throbbing pain hits late at night when you try to sleep, and ibuprofen often fails to touch it.
- The Signal: This specific throbbing means the nerve inside the tooth has succumbed to necrosis (tissue death). If the damage prevents a Root Canal, we must extract the tooth to stop the pain.
“I’m Scared of the Pain”—We Can Help
We know the word “extraction” sounds scary. Fear is the number one reason San Antonio patients wait until it is too late, which turns a simple fix into a complex emergency.
- Sedation Dentistry: You don’t have to be “white-knuckled” in the chair. We offer sedation options to keep you relaxed.
- The Relief: Most patients tell us that the extraction procedure hurt less than the toothache they walked in with.
The Next Step: Don’t Leave the Space Empty
Once the emergency pain is gone, patients often ask, “What now?”
Remember that removing the tooth is only step one. If you leave a gap in your smile long-term, your remaining teeth will shift, ruin your bite, and cause jawbone shrinkage.
Once the extraction site heals, we highly recommend replacing the tooth with a Dental Implant. An implant is the only replacement option that stimulates the jawbone, acting just like a natural tooth root to preserve your facial structure. We can often discuss this planning during your follow-up visit.
Conclusion: Don’t Risk Your Health
Infection doesn’t stay in the mouth; it travels. If you have any of these 5 signs, you likely cannot save the tooth, and keeping it risks your overall health.
Need an answer right now?
If you are in severe pain, we are ready to help. Visit our Tooth Extraction Service Page to learn more about our gentle process, or call (210) 533-8191 to schedule your emergency tooth extraction. Let’s get you out of pain today.