Tooth Extraction 101: Preparation, Types & Aftercare

 

Your natural pearly whites are essential for maintaining bone structure, chewing, speaking, and so much more. However, not everyone will have the privilege of enjoying the company of all their teeth for a lifetime. Sometimes, tooth extraction in Spring, TX, can be deemed necessary.

No one ever looks forward to getting a tooth extraction, irrespective of the pain they are experiencing. However, when our tooth removal dentist recommends it, all other options for saving your teeth are off the table. Preserving your natural tooth is also the mission. In any case, let’s see what tooth extractions are all about.

About Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction is a standard procedure our tooth removal dentist performs to extract damaged and sometimes whole teeth. The process is quick and painless since it’s done under local, general, or intravenously administered anesthesia.

Our dentist may recommend that you get your tooth pulled under the following circumstances:

  • Impacted teeth
  • Periodontal infections that have affected your tooth’s structural integrity
  • Damaged teeth due to trauma or decay
  • Preparing for orthodontic treatment and you have overcrowded teeth
  • Extra teeth that are hindering permanent teeth from coming in
  • You have an infected tooth, and a root canal cannot salvage the tooth

How Can you Prepare for Tooth Extraction?

Before booking you for tooth extraction, our dentist will take an X-ray of your teeth. This is a critical step since the X-rays will reveal the extent of the damage and help determine which procedure will be used.

Plus, you may need to inform our dentist whether you are taking any drugs, even supplements. If you are scheduled for treatment for another health issue, notify our dentist to ensure that the extraction is carried out before proceeding with the other treatment.

Besides the above, ensure that you:

  • Don’t smoke before the procedure
  • If you have the flu, inform our dentist prior so that you can reschedule
  • If you are getting general anesthesia, come with someone who will take you home
  • Don’t eat or drink for at least six hours if you will use IV anesthesia

Types of Tooth Extractions

There are two types of tooth extractions:

Simple Extraction

When our dentist recommends that you undergo a simple tooth extraction, it means that the tooth to be pulled is visible. Before the procedure commences, the area close to the affected tooth will be numbed using local anesthesia. This is done to ensure that you have a pain-free and comfortable experience.

Once the area close to the affected tooth is numb, our dentist will use forceps and an elevator to loosen and pull out the affected tooth.

Surgical Extraction

A surgical extraction is performed when you need to extract a partially visible tooth, or a tooth stuck underneath the gumline. In other words, the tooth is impacted. This is a common scenario with wisdom teeth and is the number one reason for wisdom tooth removal.

Just like a simple extraction, surgical extractions are also performed under local anesthesia. However, surgical extractions are a bit more complex. So, after anesthesia has been administered, our dentist will cut close to the affected to access the hidden tooth.

Then, our dentist may cut the tooth into smaller bits to make it easier to remove the affected tooth.

What Happens after Tooth Extraction?

The socket will heal roughly 7 – 10 days after tooth extraction in Spring, TX, especially if it was simple tooth extraction. However, the healing time might take much longer, even up to 6 weeks, when you undergo a surgical extraction and the tooth being extracted had multiple roots.

In any case, the socket will undergo three distinct healing phases:

  • Inflammatory phase. This is when your gums undergo inflammation, and then blood begins to clot. Granulation tissue will form over the wound and covers the socket
  • Proliferative phase. This is the stage where your wound begins to heal
  • Maturation phase. At this stage, collagen forms a bony network that seals the socket

Don’t panic when you experience pain, swelling, and discomfort at the extraction site for roughly four days after the procedure. However, after a week, the swelling should have gone down, and you can resume your regular diet.

After three weeks, you will need to visit our tooth removal dentist to ascertain whether your socket is healing as expected. The good news is that there is life after an extraction since we have tooth replacement options. Contact us at Spring Creek Forest Dental to schedule an appointment.