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Extractions
Extraction is the painless removal of complete tooth or the tooth root with minimum damage to the adjoining structures.
When does a tooth need to be extracted?
- When the tooth becomes too loose ( in case of severe gum / bone disease ).
- Tooth with large cavity which cannot be filled.
- Broken teeth.
- Tooth with large periapical infection.
- Over retained deciduous / milk teeth.
- Prophylactic extraction in case of Orthodontic / Pedodontic treatment.
- Impacted teeth.
- Teeth involved in pathologies like cysts / tumors.
Is it painful ?
Extraction is a painless procedure. This is done by injecting a local anaesthetic solution around the tooth being extracted. This leads to numbness over the injected region leading to any absence of pain sensation. The numbness may stay for an hour to 2 hours after which it gradually recedes. During this time the extraction is carried out.
Are stitches necessary?
For a simple extraction stitches are not necessary, unless a difficult extraction needs the gums around the teeth to be incised and reflected to get access to the teeth below.
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| Simple extraction not requiring stitches. | Surgical removal requiring stitches. |
What instructions should I keep in mind after an extraction?
- Keep the cotton swab placed at the extraction site for atleast 40 Min.
- Remove the cotton thereafter and avoid spitting or gargling for atleast 12 Hrs.
- Avoid eating or drinking any thing hot for that day to avoid post operative bleeding
- In case of a bleeding, place wet cotton at the site and bite on it for atleast an hour.
- Avoid smoking for atleast 2 – weeks because it would lead to post-operative complications like dry socket.
- The patient can brush his teeth ,eat and drink as he pleases after 24hrs.
- Gargling with hot luke-warm water with a pinch of salt the next day helps in keeping the extraction site free of debris, infection and enhances healing.
Does removal of teeth affects eye sight?
Removal of teeth in no case affects the vision of the person and is not related to whether an upper or lower tooth is being extracted.
What if an infected tooth is not extracted?
Infection may be periapical, periodontal or periocoronal and may spread within the soft tissues, may get localized and surrounded by oedema. Later may or may not be associated with pus discharge. The organism may multiply to form an acute rapidly cellulitis causing fever, severe pain, difficulty in opening the mouth, formation of extraoral sinus with pus discharge and lymphadenitis.
What are the possible complications of extraction?
Pain, infection, difficulty in mouth opening, halitosis or bad breath, dry socket. Temporary numbness of the nerve, fracture of the jaw, formation of communication between the oral cavity and maxillary sinus. These may be possible complications but are rare.