Tooth Extraction

Patients may need a tooth extracted for a variety of reasons. It may be due to severe decay, or because a tooth is too fractured to be restored.

Advanced periodontal disease may necessitate an extraction as do impacted teeth.

What is the extraction process?

If the tooth is above the gumline, your dentist will numb the area, wiggle the tooth to loosen it and pull it out.

If the tooth is broken off below the gumline or you have an impacted wisdom tooth, your dentist must make a surgical incision in your gums to section and extract the tooth. Your gum will be sutured closed.

Impacted wisdom teeth extractions are slightly more complicated than other surgical extractions and are called complex extractions.

Tooth extractions are straightforward procedures, but if you experience dental anxiety talk to your dentist about your candidacy for sedation dentistry.

What is the recovery like?

Some bleeding usually occurs post-extraction, but your dentist will place gauze over the empty tooth socket and biting down for about 45 minutes should control it. However, once the blood clot has formed, which is important to the healing process, you must be careful not to dislodge the clot. If the clot is dislodged, you may experience a condition called dry socket which can be very uncomfortable at the extraction site.

The sutured area may feel slightly sore once the numbness wears off, but the soreness goes away after a day or two.

If any facial swelling occurs, place an ice pack on the swelling for 10 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes and repeat as necessary.

Do I need to take any special precautions after the procedure?

For 24-48 hours after the extraction avoid:

• Drinking through a straw
• Using commercial mouth rinses
• Rinsing
• Smoking
• Drinking hot liquids
• Brushing around the extraction site