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A Guide To Dental Extractions

When you need to have a tooth pulled, you could be forgiven for thinking that it will be a simple case of your dental team using some medical pliers to pull it out. Interestingly, this only occurs in around 20-25% of all dental extractions.

This is because when it comes to dental care, removing teeth is the last resort, and a dental team will aim to rebuild the damaged tooth with fillings, crowns and even veneers if they need to. So, if a tooth needs to be extracted, then a dental team will only opt to do so if it is badly decayed or damaged.

But don’t panic! In this guide, you will be introduced to a brief summary relating to dental extractions, when they are used and the aftercare involved, to help you understand the process a bit more.

When are dental extractions needed?

Your dentist Wagga will opt for a dental extraction if you have a tooth that is decayed, broken or impacted. If you are having orthodontic work done with braces or aligners, you may need to have a tooth or teeth removed, to make room for the movement to occur.

However, as mentioned earlier, most dental extractions revolve around decay and abscesses.

Types of dental extraction

When you think about extracting teeth, you will usually have an image of a complete, white tooth being removed from the jaw. But this is rarely the case, especially when it comes to dental decay. So, your dental team will usually choose one of the following methods to remove your tooth or teeth, depending on the clinical situation.

Simple extraction

When your dental team needs to remove a tooth or teeth to make room for orthodontic work, or if the tooth is partially impacted, this is usually the method used.

It involves numbing the area and pulling the tooth straight out. Depending on the tooth itself, your dental team may or may not opt for stitches to close the area once the tooth is extracted.

Surgical extraction

This is the method used if you have a tooth that is badly decayed, broken or fully impacted which needs to be removed.

It starts with the numbing of the gum and your dental team making incisions into your gum line to get to the tooth. It does involve dental pliers, but it may also involve X-rays and post-operative stitching.

When you have an extraction, it is likely to require gluing or stitching, as there were more incisions made. This prevents the site from getting infected and reduces the chances of dry socket.

Post extraction care

Whether simple or surgical, you will need to take care of the extraction site for at least a week to prevent infection. Do not brush the area when cleaning your teeth, and gently gargle salt water to prevent debris from getting trapped. This will also reduce inflammation. Make sure to follow up with any post-op appointment with your dental team too!

Complications

The main complication that occurs with extractions is dry socket. This is when a blood clot ceases to form over the site, and the bone underneath is exposed. This can be exceedingly uncomfortable and is more likely when molar or wisdom teeth are removed. If you have a family history of dry socket or are a smoker, you are at a higher risk of developing it.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

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