A tooth extraction is one of the most feared procedures in dentistry. Patients have an assumption that it's a very painful procedure which is built by the horror stories that heard around. The fact is that tooth extraction is a routine procedure for most dentists and a simple extraction procedure should leave you with nothing more than minor discomfort.
Causes of extraction of tooth
You might be wondering why the dentist wants to remove your tooth when there seems to be no apparent problem with the tooth. Dentists are professionals who can identify dental diseases and conditions and decide to remove a tooth only when there is no hope of saving the tooth. If the tooth is not removed, the dental disease can progress and cause further detrimental effects in the affected region.
Various dental diseases and conditions warrant the removal of tooth. Some of them are:
-Tooth decay which has progressed to involve the furcation areas of molar teeth.
-Tooth decay which has destroyed so much portion of the tooth that it is impossible to reconstruct the tooth using dental materials.
-Mobility of the teeth caused due to bone loss around the tooth.
-Decidous teeth which have been retained and preventing the eruption of permanent teeth.
-Extraction of a healthy tooth to make space as part of orthodontic treatment.
-Teeth which are affected.
-Mal-positioned teeth which are causing trauma to surrounding structures and can not be treated with orthodontic treatment.
Procedure
A routine tooth removal procedure can take anywhere between 5-30 minutes. The procedure for extraction of a tooth is as follows.
-Administration of local anesthesia which desensitizes the tooth. This is administrated in the oral cavity in proximate to the tooth that is to be anesthetized. The desensitized tooth does not pain upon confidential tooth removal.
The dentist uses an instrument known as elevator to separate the ligament fibers that attach the tooth to the socket. This is a instrument with a blunt tip.
-After the fibers are severed, an appropriate forceps is selected to engage the tooth to be removed. The tooth is then removed carefully by the forceps. The dentist then makes sure the tooth is removed entirely from the mouth. He checks for any leftovers roots that may be remaining inside the bone.
-There are some risks associated with an extraction. A good dentist makes sure the procedure is optimally done without any damage to the adjunct teeth or structures.
Tooth Extraction aftercare
The site of extraction usually heals in a few days. There may be some degree of pain and swelling associated with the extraction of the tooth. It usually subsides by applying cold packs and taking pain killers.
Do not rinse your mouth for the next 24 hours. After this, rinse your mouth with normal saline water. -Take soft foods and avoid hard and hot foods.
-Take your medications as prescribed.
-It will be ideal to take rest and not strain yourself.
-After extraction socket is filled up with a blood clot vital spitting or similar activities may dislodge the clot and which may lead to a condition known as by dry socket.
The socket from which the tooth has been extracted heals overtime and fills up with tissue and bone.