What is Extraction?
Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth due to disease, crowding or trauma. An extraction may be needed for resolving various dental problems when it becomes difficult to restore or maintain them. Your dentist may suggest extracting a tooth to improve the overall health of your oral cavity.
Various issues that may need routine teeth extractions include:
- Severe tooth decay, affecting the underlying nerve and cannot be treated with antibiotics or root canal therapy (RCT)
- Periodontal disease, a bacterial infection that causes the loss of bone and tissue that support the tooth. It requires extraction to prevent the spread of the infection and the loss of more teeth.
- Tooth trauma, causing irreparable damage
- Improperly positioned or overcrowding of teeth in the mouth. The extraction of teeth creates more space for incoming teeth and helps in proper teeth alignment.
- Impacted tooth, where a tooth does not break through the gums and surface into your oral cavity
One or more teeth may be extracted as a part of the treatment. Your dentist will numb the tooth and surrounding area with local or general anesthesia, loosen it and extract it from the mouth with dental tools. Sometimes, the surrounding bone may have to be removed for making the process of tooth extraction easier. After the tooth is removed, your dentist may suture and place a gauze pad to stop bleeding. The loss of a tooth may affect the function of the surrounding teeth, thus your dentist may replace the extracted tooth with a dental bridge, implant or partial denture.
Following the procedure, you may experience soreness, pain, and inflammation. Your dentist will prescribe medications to relieve your discomfort. You should avoid disturbing the blood clot within the socket to prevent a painful condition called a ‘dry socket’. The site of the tooth extraction takes a few weeks to heal.