Dental Extraction

A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions can be performed for several reasons including:

• severe tooth decay or infection
• tooth damage due to breakage
• severe gum disease, impacted wisdom teeth
• removal of teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment

Types of Extractions

Simple Extractions 

Simple extractions are performed on teeth that are visible and easily accessible in the mouth. Simple extractions do not require an incision, and are performed under local anesthetic.

Surgical extractions

Surgical extractions involve the removal of teeth that are hard to reach because they have broken under the gum line or because they have not erupted fully. During the procedure, you will be given local anesthetic and you may choose some type of sedation (such as nitrous-oxide or oral medication) as well.

Procedure & Recovery

Prior to scheduling the extraction procedure, your dentist will take an x-ray of your tooth and ask whether you take any medications. They will also ask whether you have a history of any existing medical conditions such as a congenital heart defect, diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions. It is very important that you disclose any existing conditions that you may have, as certain conditions can put you at a high risk of developing a severe infection.

During the procedure, you will be given either a local anesthetic or a sedative such as nitrous oxide, which helps limit or eliminate any pain or discomfort during the procedure. Your dentist will then conduct the tooth extraction procedure. For a single tooth, the procedure can typically be carried out in 20-40 minutes (Bataineh AB, et al., 2016). You can expect the procedure to last longer if you are getting several teeth extracted.

After the procedure, you’ll require a few days for recovery. To ensure a smooth recovery, you’ll be advised to take certain steps and precautions after your extraction procedure, which can include:

• Limiting your diet to soft foods
• Using an ice pack to reduce swelling
• Avoiding smoking
• Taking any medications that you’ve been prescribed, including OTC pain medication