Tooth Extractions: Understanding the Procedure

In a perfect world, every patient would have a bright, white, and healthy smile and never have to undergo a tooth extraction but unfortunately, that is just not the case. While dentists do everything in their power to avoid having to extract a tooth, there are certain circumstances where having a tooth pulled is unavoidable.

What is a Tooth Extraction?

Tooth extraction is a dental procedure that consists of removing a permanent (adult) or deciduous (baby) tooth from a patient’s mouth. The procedure can be performed by either a general dentist or an oral surgeon. When a baby tooth is removed, the space is left open to allow for a permanent adult tooth to grow in its place. But when an adult tooth is extracted, no other tooth will grow in place so patients will have to undergo another dental procedure like dental implant surgery to fill the gap.

There are two types of extractions:

• Simple extractions consist of removing a tooth whose crown is completely visible from a patient’s mouth.
• Surgical extractions are more complicated and are usually performed on teeth whose crowns are non-visible.

Why Would an Extraction be Necessary?

Since no two patients are the same, dentists may recommend a patient undergo a tooth extraction for a number of different reasons. Here are a few common reasons a dentist would suggest having a tooth extracted:

• Misaligned teeth: sometimes patients have overcrowding in their mouths so a dentist may recommend removing healthy teeth to make space and straighten a patient’s remaining teeth.
• Infected Tooth: when tooth decay is left untreated, infection can spread into the inner soft tissue of a tooth. While undergoing root canal treatment in Lebanon can save a tooth in most cases, if the infection is too severe the tooth will have to be extracted.
• Trauma: severe trauma to a tooth can cause it to become loose or damage its root system making the tooth unfit to stay in a patient’s mouth.

What to Expect During the Procedure

• Diagnosis: first your dentist will take an X-ray of the tooth that needs to be extracted.
• Anesthesia: your dentist will numb the tooth and surrounding structures to prevent you from feeling pain during the procedure.
• Surgery: during the procedure, your dentist will use elevators to lift the tooth from the gums and then use forceps to pull the tooth from its socket.
• Post-Surgery: you will be prescribed medication for pain, and to reduce inflammation and prevent infection
• Follow up: if you experience any fever, chills, continuous bleeding, trouble swallowing or excessive swelling, please call your dentist immediately.

To find a tooth removal specialist in Lebanon, please call Lasting Smiles of Whitehouse Station at (908) 534-4001.