Do you have one or more severely decayed or badly damaged teeth that give you pain or cause dental infection? When you visit All Smile Dental with a damaged tooth, our expert dentists will do whatever we can to save it. However, in some cases, teeth may need to be extracted from the mouth to prevent pain or infection and to ensure overall dental health.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth Extraction is a dental procedure that involves the removal of one or more teeth by pulling them out. A tooth will need extraction in the following circumstances:
Impacted or improperly erupted wisdom teeth can cause pain and infection in teens and adults, thus necessitating their extraction.
- If a tooth is badly decayed or infected and can't be saved even with a root canal procedure, a dental extraction will be needed.
- If you are undergoing an orthodontic procedure like braces or Invisalign to align your teeth and you have teeth crowding, a dentist may recommend removing one or more teeth to provide space for the other teeth to align properly.
- Those people with a weakened immune system should remove their infected or decayed teeth if they have to undergo organ transplantation or chemotherapy.
- If there is a cracked or fractured tooth that is beyond repair, it needs to be extracted.
- Impacted teeth that are trapped beneath the gums should be extracted to prevent pain and infection.
- A primary tooth may need an extraction if it doesn't fall out on time or obstructs the eruption of a permanent tooth.
Tooth Extraction Procedure
Tooth extraction can be categorized into two, based on the severity of the condition and the type of tooth to be extracted.
Simple Extraction
When the tooth to be removed is visible above the gum line, a simple extraction is performed. Here, after numbing the extraction area using local anesthesia, the tooth is loosened and pulled out of the socket.
Surgical Extraction
Surgical removal of a tooth is performed when the tooth is impacted or lies beneath the gum line. Here, after numbing the area, a small cut or incision is made on the gum tissue or bone, and the tooth is extracted using dental tools.
Tooth Extraction - Aftercare
Mostly, a dental extraction site heals in 7 to 10 days. During this time, it is important to take care of the following things to ensure faster recovery:
- Take the prescribed painkillers.
- Bite on a gauze pad gently for about three to four hours after the extraction.
- Applying ice to the area following the procedure can be helpful to prevent swelling.
- Take rest for 24 hours following the procedure. Do not engage in strenuous activities for the next few days.
- Don't rinse hard, spit, or use a straw for 24 hours post the procedure to avoid dislodging the clot.
- Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
- Propping your head up with pillows can help faster healing.
- Avoid the extraction site while brushing and flossing.
Do you want to know more about the Tooth extraction procedures from the experts at All Smile Dental? Call our Dentist in Turlock, CA at (209) 668-3736 or Dentist in Modesto, CA at (209) 409-8839.
