What To Do If You Need a Tooth Extraction

Pure Dentistry is a Dental Clinic in Brisbane Southside. 

Pure Dentistry provides quality dental care and is open 7 days a week. Experienced Brisbane dentists who prioritize patients’ comfort, our friendly staff, and our lovely environment are what patients can expect to see in our Brisbane dental clinic.

General dentists, oral surgeons, and other dental specialists can perform tooth extractions depending on the type of extraction procedure.

Tooth extraction will be performed under local anaesthetic so patients will not experience too much pain. Feeling slight pressure while the dentist is having the tooth pulled is natural. Inform your dentist immediately if you are undergoing unbearable pain even after the administration of the local anesthetic.

The dentist may decide to perform the tooth extraction under general anesthesia in some cases, especially if the procedure is expected to be long. If the surgery is performed under general anesthesia, the patient will be unconscious throughout the procedure.

Depending on the tooth’s visibility, you may need a simple or surgical extraction.

Simple Extraction

A simple extraction is not typically an involved procedure and is performed on the teeth that are visible and fully erupted. The dentist or the oral surgeon will first use local anesthesia to numb your tooth and its surrounding area. A dental elevator makes the tooth loosened, and extraction forceps are used to remove it.

Surgical Extraction

A surgical extraction is a more involved procedure and will be performed on teeth that are not fully erupted or are impacted. During this surgical procedure, the dentist or the oral surgeon will make a small incision and remove gum tissue to access the hidden tooth and extract it.

Nobody likes to have their permanent teeth extracted, but dental extraction is sometimes a must to enjoy a healthy smile. While your Brisbane dentist prefers to keep your natural teeth, they may have to perform the extraction procedure for the following reasons.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are third molars that appear on the back of our mouths between ages 17 and 21.

Sometimes your mouth does not have enough space to accommodate your wisdom teeth. Therefore, they become stuck under your gum tissue or emerge partially through the gums. In this situation, the dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth to make room for other teeth and prevent oral health problems like tooth decay or crooked teeth.

Wisdom teeth that become impacted or hidden beneath the gums are typically hard to clean. Food leftovers may get stuck around those teeth and cause dental decay or bad breath.

Crowded Mouth

If your jaw does not have enough room to accommodate all your teeth, your mouth may become overcrowded. Crowded teeth need orthodontic treatment to come into proper alignment. Sometimes, your paediatric dentist decides to remove one or some of your teeth to prepare your mouth for your dental braces and make sufficient space for the teeth that cannot erupt properly.

Severe Tooth Decay

A dentist can typically perform root canal therapy to save a decayed tooth. However, if the bacteria has extended to the centre of the tooth, known as the pulp, the tooth can no longer be saved.

The dentist may need to extract a damaged tooth beyond repair, to stop the infection and harmful bacteria from spreading further in the mouth. Extraction is also required if the infection has destroyed a large portion of your tooth and its surrounding bone.

Gum Disease

Gum disease or periodontal disease is the infection and inflammation of the tissues that surround the teeth. Gum disease is reversible at its early stages, but if it progresses to advanced stages, it is no longer reversible.

Periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease, can affect periodontal ligaments, alveolar bone and other structures surrounding the tooth. Periodontitis can cause the teeth to become loose and unable to stay anchored due to severe infection. That’s when a tooth extraction is usually necessary to get rid of the infection.

The lost teeth can be replaced with tooth replacement options like Dental Implants or dentures.

Tooth extraction or tooth removal refers to a dental procedure where the dentist will remove your tooth from the tooth socket.

General dentists, oral surgeons, and other dental specialists can perform tooth extractions depending on the type of extraction procedure.

The dentist or paediatric dentist will determine the extent of damage using dental x-rays and the suitable type of tooth extraction during a thorough oral examination.

Patients should inform their dentist about their medical condition, the type of medication they take, or if they suffer from dental anxiety.

Please tell your dentist if you have any of the following medical conditions:

• Congenital heart defect or damaged heart valves
• Having a history of bacterial endocarditis
• Liver disease
• Artificial joint
• Impaired immune system
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Renal disease

Post-Extraction Instructions

Your dentist will give you the necessary advice for a speedy recovery. Ensure you follow your dentist’s instructions after having one or multiple teeth extracted to avoid possible complications.

Dentists will pack a gauze pad into the tooth socket and ask the patient to bite firmly but gently on the gauze pads to reduce bleeding. A blood clot usually forms at the extraction site to support and protect your bone during the healing process. If this clot is lost, your bone will be exposed, and you will experience a painful dental condition called a dry socket.

• It’s essential to avoid rinsing, spitting forcefully, or drinking through a straw for about 24 hours after you had your tooth/teeth pulled to help form the blood clot.
• Avoid hard and crunchy foods and eat soft foods after tooth extraction. As the extraction site heals, you can shift to more solid foods.
• Avoid smoking before and after tooth extraction since it can interfere with proper healing.
• Placing an ice pack on the affected area will help reduce swelling and pain.
• Avoid brushing the extraction site. You can gently rinse the area using warm salt water after 24 hours following your tooth extraction.
• Limit your activity on the day of the extraction, especially strenuous activity.

While tooth extraction is usually straightforward, complications may occur following any surgical or non-surgical procedure.

Below you will see some common complications that may occur following an extraction.

• Dry socket 
• Nerve damage
• Infection of the surgical site
• Heavy bleeding (that lasts more than four hours)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Excessive discharge from the affected area, fever, and chills (signs of infection)

Light bleeding is not typically a cause for concern throughout the first 24 hours.

Please contact your nearest dentist if you experience these complications or are in too much pain.

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