What a Tooth Extraction Looks Like – and When One May Be Necessary

If you’ve ever bitten down on anything too hard to chew, causing acute pain but no lasting damage, then you know this much is true: Teeth are resilient. It can take a lot to damage one, and often, that damage can be fixed.

But sometimes, trauma, decay, infection or other catalysts may damage a tooth beyond repair. And when that happens, circumstances may call for an extraction.

When Does a Tooth Need to Come Out?

It’s important to reiterate that not all tooth damage necessitates removal. Antibiotics can handle minor infections. Root canal therapy may handle damage to the pulp of the teeth. And a crown or filling might be able to head off the problems caused by a break, a crack or other physical damage.

Still, there are times when tooth extraction is the most – or even only – viable option. The cases in which a dentist might recommend removal of a tooth include:

• Damage caused by trauma to the mouth area
• Decay from inadequate oral hygiene
• Crowding, particularly when it comes to orthodontia; braces and similar orthodontic solutions sometimes require the removal of teeth that get in the way of a plan to align other teeth
• Unerupted teeth
• Infection in the pulp of the teeth
• Risk of infection, which may be enough to warrant extraction in immunocompromised patients
• Loosening of the tooth or teeth due to gum disease
• Broken teeth, particularly at the gumline
• Baby teeth that have not fallen out despite the onset of adult teeth
• The many problems caused by wisdom teeth

Preparing for the Procedure

Your dentist will look closely at the tooth or teeth in question, including usage of X-rays, to determine whether removal is necessary. If that’s the recommendation, you may be prescribed antibiotics in advance should your dentist suspect the surgery will be lengthy, or if you have any issues with your immune system.

Planning Out Your Procedure

You’ll be asked to update your dentist on any medications you take, including vitamins, supplements and any over-the-counter medicines. If, as the procedure approaches, you start experiencing nausea or cold symptoms, you should tell your dentist about those, too. In the 24 hours before the extraction, you’ll be asked to refrain from smoking or taking blood thinners, and from eating or drinking for about 6-8 hours prior. If you’re going to be getting IV anesthesia, wear short sleeves and make sure you have a ride home.

You should also tell your dentist if you have:

• Damaged or artificial heart valves
• A congenital heart defect
• Artificial joint(s)
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Liver, thyroid, renal or adrenal disease
• A history of bacterial endocarditis

The Extraction Process

When you come in for the procedure, you’ll receive either a local or general anesthetic. The person performing the extraction will cut away any gum or bone tissue that’s in the way of the tooth to be removed, then apply forceps and gently rock the tooth until it’s loose enough to pull out with a tool called an elevator. In some cases, the tooth may need to come out in pieces. Once the tooth is out, gauze will be applied to the blood clot that’s formed in the hole and you’ll be asked to hold it down via biting. If necessary, self-dissolving stitches may be used to close the wound.

If you’re having a tooth removed for reasons other than orthodontia, your dentist may recommend a dental implant, denture or fixed bridge to fill the gap left by the missing tooth, so remaining teeth do not shift.

Recovery After an Extraction Procedure

Following an extraction, you can expect to be given a list of things to do to ensure it heals successfully while minimizing your discomfort. Among the items on this list, you can expect:

• Refrain from spitting or rinsing your mouth out for the first 24-48 hours; this could cause the blood clot at the extraction site to come loose, which could lead to a dry socket, an exquisitely painful condition in which the bone under the extraction site becomes exposed
• Do not drink using straws
• Do not smoke
• Bite down firmly on the gauze covering the extraction site initially, and replace it when it becomes too sodden with blood and saliva
• Take any painkillers that may be prescribed
• Apply ice to the outside of the cheek near the extraction
• Rinse periodically with warm salt water to reduce pain
• Eat soft foods, slowly working your way up to solid ones
• Prop up your head when you’re lying down
• Take it easy for 24 hours or so, avoiding exertion
• Continue your normal oral hygiene routine; just don’t brush the extraction site

Finishing the Recovery Process

Usually, an extraction site is healed within a week or two, with new bone and gum tissue growing into the gap taking up to three months. You should reach out to your dentist if you experience severe swelling, bleeding or pain a few hours after the procedure, or if you experience any fever, chills, infection, nausea, vomiting, cough, redness, excessive discharge, chest pain or shortness of breath.

Are You Worried About a Tooth? We Can Help!

With over 35 years of experience in dentistry, Springfield Dental Group is well equipped to address any tooth problems you may be dealing with. We’ll do whatever we can to save and repair a damaged tooth, and if it has to come out, we’ll ensure that both the extraction procedure and the recovery process are as comfortable for you as possible. Reach out to us today to see what kind of difference Springfield Dental Group can make!