What are dental extractions?
Dental extraction is a procedure where a tooth is removed from the patient's mouth. The reason why this would need to be performed is there's some disease process that makes it so the patient needs to have that tooth removed as opposed to being saved with other procedures.
Why is a tooth extraction recommended?
A tooth extraction is recommended when the dentist or the dental specialist determines that the tooth is no longer savable with other procedures that can be performed. Many times you'll hear about common procedures such as a root canal, a crown, fillings, or other types of procedures that are helpful in keeping the teeth. If for one reason or another the tooth is no longer savable, then the ultimate option is to remove the tooth to protect the remaining oral structures.
Why would a dentist recommend a tooth extraction versus a root canal?
A root canal is one type of procedure that helps by removing the nerve of the tooth and sealing it off, essentially, to allow the remaining portion of the tooth to be available. The root canal is done for that specific purpose. A tooth extraction is doing something totally different for a different reason. The tooth cannot be saved, meaning the cavity is too extensive that the tooth is no longer savable with a crown and root canal. That's why a dentist would recommend that an extraction be performed. There are other dental conditions that can lead to a tooth not being restorable as well, such as teeth being cracked, extensive gum disease, or other major conditions in the mouth.
Can a dentist just pull an infected tooth?
A tooth can quote-unquote just be pulled. However, this leads to a lot of larger issues going on in the mouth. Oftentimes, the issues that were on one tooth will spread to other teeth. The missing tooth that's there may allow other teeth to drift out of the area. So there's some downstream effects of just quote-unquote pulling a tooth.
If I'm going to have a tooth extraction, when do I need to see a dentist versus a dental specialist?
The question of whether a dentist or a dental specialist should take out an existing tooth relates to a number of factors. The first one is how complex the procedure is and what the tooth replacement option is. The second is the dentist's comfortability with that particular procedure. If you have an established dentist, many times that dentist will make the call on whether or not a specialist needs to be brought into this realm of care. Alternatively, if you have a specialist that you trust and would like to take that, do that procedure for you, you can always call their office directly and see if it makes sense to be seen in the specialist's office.
Can tooth extraction cure periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is a process that occurs around the natural teeth. This is oftentimes called gum disease. We're going to hear people saying that as they get older, they get long in the tooth and they notice that their teeth are getting loose. This is all referring to the same process. Once the tooth has gone, it is true that the gum disease on that natural tooth is no longer there. However, the gum disease can still be around on the other remaining natural teeth or replacement options such as dental implants.
Is tooth extraction necessary before dental implant surgery?
A dental implant is a device, medical device, that goes into the bone that is an anchor. That anchor replaces the natural tooth that was there before. That anchor can be used for one or multiple teeth. So the only purpose of a dental implant is as a tooth replacement option. So yes, the natural teeth would need to be removed prior to the dental implant being placed into the mouth.
What should I expect during a tooth extraction?
During a tooth extraction, you should expect that the dental specialist, or the dentist that's working with you, should make sure that you're comfortable in the chair at all times, meaning that they should be able to get you fully numb and make sure that you're comfortable throughout the procedure. You should not feel significant pain during the procedure unless there's an acute infection that's very difficult to manage. You should feel pressure, as again, you won't feel pain, but you'll know that there is some pressure as the procedure is going on.
Is a bone graft necessary after a tooth extraction?
In the majority of situations, a bone graft is beneficial after a tooth is removed. This has a number of things that are beneficial for the patient. First is it can prevent things such as a dry socket, which is a very painful post-operative circumstance after a tooth has been removed. Dry sockets are most common after wisdom teeth. We are referring mainly to teeth that are further forward than wisdom teeth. Additionally, a bone graft can help reduce post-operative bleeding, thicken the bone available for dental implants, and can also protect the adjacent teeth so that the health of those teeth next door to the one that was removed is best long-term.
How painful is tooth extraction?
After a tooth extraction, there will be some soreness. However, the soreness should be managed pretty well with post-operative pain management.
What kind of anesthesia options are available during a tooth extraction?
There are multiple types of sedation options and anesthesia options available in the Dental Specialist office. In our office, we offer a couple of different layers. We're always going to make sure that the patient is comfortable and they're fully numb or anesthetized during the procedure. We also offer laughing gas, otherwise known as nitrous oxide, which helps alleviate any kind of anxiety associated with the procedure. Furthermore, we also offer oral sedation, which is an option that will also help with anxiety and also oftentimes the patient should not remember as much of the procedure post-operatively.
Do dentists give pain meds after tooth extractions?
Typically, after we have performed a dental extraction, there will be post-operative pain management, including medications to make sure the patient is comfortable in the immediate post-op healing phase.
How long does it normally take to heal from tooth extractions?
When we talk about the post-operative healing phase from a dental extraction, the most common question that patients will ask is how long are they going to be sore or down for after the procedure? Typically, the most sore day is about 48 to 72 hours post-procedure, typically the second day after surgery. You should see an increase in swelling and discomfort up until that point, and then those things should start to subside.
What helps tooth extraction heal faster?
There are a number of things that can help a tooth extraction go faster. Now, in our office, we actually do a pre-operative appointment where we go in-depth on everything associated with what to do before, during, and after the procedure, as well as make sure that we have all the medications that will be comfortable for you afterwards, pain management and other things to be available to you. The best thing that you can do in the immediate post-operative phase is to rest. Ice down the area, make sure that nothing raises your blood pressure, and that everything is calm. Also, maintaining adequate nutrition in the immediate post-operative phase will help, as well as using anti-inflammatories if you are allowed to take anti-inflammatories that can be prescribed based on your medical history. If you do these things well, you'll have less post-operative swelling and less post-operative phase in the first couple of days, and then once you get past the first few days, those symptoms and signs should begin to subside or go away.
How can I minimize bleeding after a tooth extraction?
After a tooth extraction, there are a number of things that can be done to help with the post-operative bleeding. In our office, many times we place a bone graft, which is basically a graft material that goes in and protects the bone at the time of the procedure. This also has a wonderful side effect of making sure that the post-operative bleeding is dramatically decreased. Additionally, making sure that you do all the proper home care instructions, not really messing with that area as far as hitting it with food or other things, or carbonated beverages will help with post-operative healing. If you start to notice any kind of post-operative bleeding, you can use sterile, moist gauze to press into the area, or even a moist tea bag to get pressure on the area for a few minutes, and that should decrease any bleeding that's happening in the area.
What other precautions should I take after tooth extraction?
The other main precautions after tooth extraction is just to make sure that you're comfortable in that post-operative phase. So rest, ice the area down, make sure that you're getting adequate nutrition on board, and nothing is hitting that area, meaning inappropriate foods or carbonated beverages. If you do most of those things for the first 40 to 72 hours, that should really help in the post-operative healing phase. Another important thing is to make sure that you take all medications as prescribed by your doctor, as that will help with post-operative infection as well as post-operative pain management.
Do I need to rest after a tooth extraction?
Resting after a tooth extraction is something that really will help the post-operative phase. Anything that causes the patient's blood pressure to go up by not resting those first 40 hours will increase the amount of swelling. Anytime you have increased swelling, that can lead to a slightly higher risk of infection, but more importantly, can lead to more post-operative pain than what is necessary.
Can tooth extraction cause a speech impediment?
Depending on the location of which tooth is being removed, there are times where removing one or multiple teeth can lead to the speech being altered. That's why it's important to work with your dental professional to know what type of tooth replacement options are going to be put in place to make sure that we don't have a tooth speech impediment post-procedure.
When should I schedule an appointment for tooth extraction?
If you believe that a tooth extraction may be necessary, it's important to be seen quickly because sometimes those situations can become urgent. Please give us a call at (850) 909-9731 and we'd love to meet you and discuss options further.