Wisdom Tooth Extraction

WISE TOOTH EXTRACTION

If your tooth is damaged or decayed and cannot be repaired first with a filling, tooth extraction may be a last resort. When your tooth cannot be repaired, extraction may be your best option. However, your options will be discussed with you during the consultation.

Why is tooth extraction performed?
There may be many reasons for a tooth to be extracted:
severe tooth decay
Gum disease (periodontal disease)
Broken tooth that cannot be repaired
Abscess (collection of pus) in the gums or around the teeth
Impacted wisdom teeth

Generally, teeth are extracted under local anesthesia. This completely prevents the pain in your gums, although you may feel pressure. You will remain awake during the procedure so you will be aware of what is happening. If you are very worried about having your tooth removed, you may be able to take sedatives that relieve anxiety, make you feel sleepy, and help you relax.

Having a general anesthesia for extraction is usually only an option for young children or adults with learning disabilities. However, your dentist may decide that a few of your teeth need to be extracted or that the extraction will be more difficult than usual.

How is Tooth Extraction Done?

The roots of your teeth sit in a socket in your gums. Your dentist will widen the tooth socket and loosen it slightly before extracting it. When a tooth is extracted, you will feel some pressure in your mouth.

After you have your tooth extracted, the gum may bleed for a few minutes. Your dentist will give you a piece of soft filling to bite on to stop the bleeding, and once it stops, you can go home.

If you have used a general anesthetic or sedative, you should rest until the effects of the anesthetic or sedative wear off. Most people can return to their normal routine the same day. Only if you have a more difficult surgical extraction will it take a few days to heal. Tips to ensure proper healing of the post-extraction area:

Do not rinse your mouth for at least 24 hours after tooth extraction. This can disturb blood clots that have formed and cause rebleeding.

After 24 hours, gently rinse with a saltwater gargle four times a day to keep the area clean.

Eat soft foods for a while.

If the gum bleeds, bite on a clean pad of material, such as a clean tissue, for at least 15 minutes.

Do not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours and do not smoke for as long as possible.

Brush your teeth but keep your toothbrush away from healing sores, brushing more closely every day. You can try softening your toothbrush with hot water before using the brush.

One of the primary treatment goals in dentistry is to protect teeth. Even the most advanced and realistic dentures cannot be compared to a natural tooth in terms of health and appearance. However, when it comes to tooth extraction, there are effective methods to extract the tooth safely, efficiently, and with minimal discomfort that will protect your health in the long run.

Reasons for Tooth Extraction

Sometimes a tooth must be extracted because it is not healthy enough to function effectively or poses a danger to other teeth or your overall dental health. In some cases, the tooth decays too much to maintain its vital importance, or the gum tissues detach due to progressive periodontal (gum) disease. In other cases, the long-term health of the tooth has been compromised by traumatic injury.

A tooth may need to be extracted because it endangers other teeth and interferes with jaw and bite function. Often in an abnormal position beneath the gums, affected molars can press on the roots of adjacent teeth, damaging them. For this reason and their high susceptibility to gum disease, molars are often extracted to reduce current or future problems.

Additionally, a healthy tooth can be extracted to increase the success of orthodontic treatment. Misaligned teeth are moved into better positions with braces or similar orthodontic treatments; Sometimes, the range of motion may be more or less due to excess teeth. In such a case, some teeth may be extracted to create the necessary space. The teeth most commonly extracted for this purpose are those located near the front of the mouth. Removal of these teeth does not cause loss of function, and subsequent orthodontic treatment creates a cosmetically satisfactory result.

Extraction (Tooth Pulling) Treatment

The extraction method used will depend on the type of tooth, its location, and whether it has any conditions that may make removal difficult.

Before any extraction treatment, the dentist performs a proper evaluation and diagnosis, including the position of the tooth in the mouth and possible extraction complications. This evaluation will include a complete medical history, including recent x-rays and any current prescription medications that may interfere with any anesthesia.

Although some people are apprehensive about extracting a tooth, modern extraction techniques assisted by anesthesia are painless with only mild to moderate discomfort for a few days after the procedure.

Teeth are held in place by the periodontal ligament, an elastic gum tissue that attaches similarly to the jawbone. During a simple extraction, the dentist carefully pulls the tooth until the teeth release their grip. Experienced dentists develop an idea of how the fibers separate, so the tooth usually comes loose without any effort or discomfort for the patient. Simple extractions are usually performed with local anesthesia.

However, there are other situations where a simple extraction is not possible: teeth with multiple roots that do not have a straight extraction path, impacted teeth, or teeth with fragile roots that may shatter during extraction, to name a few. In such cases, a surgical extraction performed by an oral surgeon using heavier sedation methods such as general anesthesia will be necessary.

After Tooth Extraction

After controlling bleeding after tooth extraction, the dentist fills the open area with bone graft material before closing the gum. Since bone loss is likely to occur after tooth extraction, bone grafting will stimulate new growth and minimize potential loss.

Tooth extractions are one of the most commonly used methods in dentistry. However, your dentist will not recommend an extraction to treat a current health problem or improve your future oral health unless it is necessary.