Tooth extraction is a dental treatment option for damaged teeth. It is offered for patients who direly need the treatment. While dental experts like Dr. Trejos are well-trained and experienced for such dental works, there is still dental anxiety that exists among patients. One of the greatest concerns is the pain levels associated with the treatment. Is tooth extraction worth the risk?
More About Tooth Extraction
It is a dental work that involves removing a mature tooth from the roots. Teeth removal is not a new concept for pediatric dental care. However, it is a whole different case when offered to adults.
The goal of dentistry is usually to protect teeth from infection while increasing the lifespan of natural teeth for as long as possible. If it gets to the point of teeth extraction, there must be a justifiable reason for it. At Palm Coast Family Dentistry, we offer tooth removal services for cases such as:
- Severe dental decay
- Infection – some cases of oral infection have dire consequences for teeth. For example, if your gum tissue is severely infected, then having teeth in place might be a big challenge.
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Crowded mouth
- Significantly broken tooth
What Does the Tooth Removal Process Entail?
Removing a tooth is under the specialty of an oral surgeon. However, a general dentist, among other dental experts, can equally perform the tasks effectively. Steps involved in tooth extraction include:
- Local anesthesia – numbing is necessary for tooth extraction. It helps alleviate pain. It is also a Greta way to help you remain calm during the dental procedure.
- An incision on the gum tissue – the gum tissue is cut open to help expose the bone tissue underneath. This is important to ensure that the tooth is fully removed from the roots, instead of only removing the outermost part of a tooth.
- Removing the bone – after the gun tissue is open, beneath it is a bone. The bone protects the tooth and helps hold it in place. The dentist removes that bone, making it easy to detach the tooth from its roots.
- Removing the tooth – the tooth is rocked back and forth to loosen it from the socket. Detaching it after this process is easy. However, in some cases, stubborn teeth can refuse to loosen despite the rocking back and forth. This requires an additional step in the extraction process. The tooth is broken down in small pieces, to make removal easy.
- Controlling the bleeding – once the tooth has been removed, the site will start bleeding. Your dentist will pack the area with gauze. You then have to bite it down, so you can stop the bleeding. This also encourages the formation of a blood clot, which helps with healing.
- Stitching – although it does not always happen, in some cases, the dentist will stitch up part of your gum tissue, especially on the edges.
the entire process of removing a tooth should take between 20-40 minutes. This can be longer, depending on your situation. Ideally, the more teeth that have to be extracted, the more time it takes. Besides, you have to account for the stubborn teeth.
How Do You Make the Treatment Manageable?
The entire process can be painful for you. Forcefully detaching a tooth from its socket will have consequences of your immune system responding. During the procedure, the local anesthesia will keep the extraction site numb. This means you will not be experiencing any pain. However, as the sedative wears off, you will need a strategy to help manage the pain. Some of the things you can do include:
- Take painkillers – more often than not, your dentist will prescribe some painkillers to help cope with the pain.
- Cold compress – an hour or two after your dental extraction, your dentist may suggest eating ice cream. The goal of the ice cream is to act as a cold compress for your mouth. This will help reduce pain and inflammation. You can also consider placing an ice bag over the affected side of the cheek when you get home immediately after your procedure.
- Limit activity – at least for the first 24 hours. Take plenty of rest, and allow your body to start healing.
- Avoid using straws – they will dislodge the blood clot in the extraction site, and cause dry socket, which is painful.
- Eat soft foods – it is recommended for the first couple of days after the treatment.
