Can Tooth Extractions Really Cause Sinus Problems?

Can Tooth Extractions Cause Sinus Problems?

We know with surety that dental treatments involve coordinated participation of the dentist and his patient for the cure of his ailments. But there are cases where complications occur without having been prevented. This happens because of many factors, inexperience, for example.

One of these complications is the result of ineffective care of the teeth that will be extracted; this pathology comprises irreversible damage with a high risk of affecting the tissues outlining the tooth and the sinus cavity, consequently, the chief complaint of the patient is, for example, bleeding through the nostrils that do not stop. In other cases, they complain that when drinking, the liquid is lost through the nostrils or there are cases in which they detail that when making physical efforts they feel like the air passing through the nostrils also passes through the area of the previous extraction.

How these eventualities occur is, for example, during the tooth extractions of an upper tooth, that because of its shape and structure can be located next to the sinus cavities or could even be contained in it. That is why it is necessary and is part of treatment to request an X-ray of the tooth which will be extracted.

Sinus Perforation After Tooth Extraction:

Suppose it is the case that a patient suspects that he could be exposed to a perforation after the tooth extractions. In that case, he should request an appointment in the dentist’s office to perform some tests and confirm the surgery. In the private practice, the dentist will ask the patient to blow through the nose, while holding the nostrils closed and occluding the air outlet through the nostrils and then in the mouth, it would be observed in the recent extraction’s area a bubbling of blood in this precise instance.

If this is not the case, a communication of the mouth and the paranasal sinus could have become clear by blowing very forcefully. Another way to confirm communication between the sinus antrum and the oral cavity is an examination. Much less compromising is the dentist’s examination, to check the extracted tooth for any detachment such as the bony wall defining these two structures.

Treatment for Sinus Perforation After Tooth Extractions:

Treatment often comprises periodic checks of the perforation area until the cells are capable of the natural healing of the perforation. Therefore, patients will have to follow all the professional’s recommendations like avoid blow their nose, sneezing, drinking from a straw, and smoking cigarettes. For smokers, they need to prevent the deepest inhaling by which the communication could be disordered.

Where healing is diminished by variables such as the patient’s age, a history of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, malnutrition, immunosuppression or by the use of medications such as corticosteroids, and habits such as smoking, it will be necessary to turn to a specialist such as a maxillofacial surgeon who will decide the best treatment. These could include the confrontation and closure of the perforated soft tissue by sectioning the tissues near the defect or next to it for its repositioning in the area that requires sealing of the perforation, followed by analgesic and antibiotic medications.

Contact Us:

If you have any questions about this or other topics, contact us at Channel Island Family Dental, as well as on our Facebook page. We are always attentive to your needs to make a timely diagnosis. In addition, our Dentists in Oxnard, Santa Paula, Newbury Park, Ventura, and Port Hueneme will guide you to the best treatment to give you back your best smile.