Tooth Extraction: Why It Matters and What You Need To Know About It

Over the years, dental procedures have helped many people with their teeth-related problems. The effectiveness of dental procedures has improved as well, thanks to the advent of technology. However, even if you can select from tons of modern dental procedures, one procedure remains a top choice in many dental clinics worldwide. This procedure is commonly known as tooth extraction.

The Basics of Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction is the procedure of removing a badly decayed or unhealthy tooth. If a tooth is unhealthy, it might affect other nearby teeth. This will compromise your oral health by a large scale. Even though tooth extraction is the oldest trick in the dental book, a dentist won’t recommend it right away. Some common procedures are bonding, braces placement, fillings, root canals, and teeth whitening.

To begin a tooth extraction procedure, your dentist will run some X-rays and check your medical history. The preliminary assessment is important in determining complications and other problems that may arise.

After the assessment, the procedure will begin. You’ll be placed under local anaesthesia to ensure that the procedure is pain-free. Simple tooth extraction procedures are more common and straightforward. The dentist just needs to manipulate your tooth and loosen the fibres holding it. Experienced dentists have their own extraction and tooth manipulation techniques, and they are always successful.

In some situations, a simple extraction procedure won’t cut it. Teeth with multiple roots, for example, can’t be extracted in one go. If there’s no extraction path, the dentist will have to make several adjustments. Teeth with brittle and unhealthy roots can’t be extracted through a simple procedure. The roots might break and cause severe oral complications. In this case, surgical extraction is necessary wherein you’ll be heavily sedated to manage pain.

Reasons for Doing Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction is not a quick procedure that should be done on a whim. There must be a reason behind the procedure. More often than not, your dentist will discuss the complexities of this procedure with you.

As mentioned above, a tooth will be extracted if it’s badly decayed or if it can affect your dental health negatively. Another reason is to improve the success rate of an orthodontic treatment. If there’s tooth crowding, the dentist might opt to extraction first. The difficulty of the entire procedure depends on the positioning of your teeth and other known variables.

You probably heard about wisdom teeth removal. Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are prone to mild or severe impaction. Impacted wisdom teeth can press against nearby roots, thus resulting to damage. This will increase the risk of gum disease and infections. The best way to avoid these is through a dental extraction procedure.

If dental equipment scares you, be sure to discuss the matter with your dentist. At best, the dentist will briefly explain the function of any dental tool that you’re curious about. Somehow, this can help you feel calm and prepared.

Post-Extraction Care

Another important part of tooth extraction is aftercare. While your dentist can give advice regarding the proper way of cleaning the extracted site, the whole process depends on you. The dentist might also consider putting bone graft onto the site, which will promote better tooth growth and stability. If you’re planning to have a dental implant someday, the process will be easier and more manageable.

Commonly, the dentist will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to help the pain subside. The gravity of the pain depends on your pain tolerance. But don’t worry – your dentist will do everything to help you recuperate without problems.

Final Reminders

Tooth extraction may sound scary at first, but you shouldn’t worry about it. Your dentist knows how to do the extraction properly. At any rate, a tooth extraction procedure is usually a last resort and preventative measure.

If you’re looking for a dental clinic that will help you with tooth extraction, Sherwood Dental is just a call away, contact us now to learn more or to book your appointment.