Tooth Extraction
Suffering from tooth pain?
A tooth extraction is when a tooth is completely removed from its socket. There are a number of reasons that it might need to be removed, but usually, it is when another treatment is not enough to save the tooth, for example in the case of damage or extensive decay.
Other reasons for a tooth extraction
In addition to the tooth being irreparable, there are other reasons that it might need to be extracted, which we have outlined below:
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If you have extra teeth that are blocking other teeth from growing upwards. This is common in children and young adults.
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If baby teeth haven’t fallen out, yet the adult teeth are pushing through. Baby teeth are usually easier to remove than adult teeth, however.
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If you are getting braces, and we need to make room for your teeth to be straightened into place.
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If you’re having any kind of radiation therapy on your head or neck area, as we might need to remove the teeth around the treatment site.
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If you have wisdom teeth that are causing you issues due to them not growing properly.
What happens during the process?
There are two kinds of extraction methods – simple and surgical.
With a simple extraction, the dentist will loosen the tooth, and will then remove it with forceps. This is usually a quick procedure, and the recovery time is less lengthy than with a surgical extraction.
If you need a surgical extraction, this could be because the tooth has broken at the gum level, or if it is not in the mouth enough to remove it with a simple extraction. Here, your dentist will make a cut into your gum, and may even remove some of the bone around your tooth
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What happens after the procedure?
You must ask somebody to drive you home, as you should never attempt to drive yourself after a dental extraction.
Afterwards, you may find that you have some pain. We can prescribe you with some pain relief medicine, but you may find that over-the-counter medicine as well.
How to take care of the extraction site
We will give you some great advice about how to take care of your mouth when you leave our surgery. Usually, we will advise you not to eat on the side of the extraction for a few days, and to avoid very hot and very cold foods. This is to help avoid pain.
You may experience some bleeding for the first 24 hours and should take care when reintroducing brushing to the nearby teeth, however, on the whole, patients will recover quickly
Your oral health and satisfaction is our top priority.
Contact our dental office today to schedule the extraction you need