Tooth Removal | Oxfordshire & Hampshire
Although permanent teeth were meant to last a lifetime, there are a number of reasons why tooth extraction may be needed. A very common reason involves a tooth that is too badly damaged, from trauma or decay, to be repaired. Other reasons include:
- A crowded mouth. Sometimes dentists pull teeth to prepare the mouth for orthodontia. The goal of orthodontia is to properly align the teeth, which may not be possible if your teeth are too big for your mouth. Likewise, if a tooth cannot break through the gum (erupt) because there is no room in the mouth for it, your dentist may recommend pulling it.
- Infection. If tooth decay or damage extends to the pulp — the centre of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels — bacteria in the mouth can enter the pulp, leading to infection. Often this can be corrected with root canal therapy (RCT), but if the infection is so severe that antibiotics or RCT do not cure it, extraction may be needed to prevent the spread of the infection.
- Risk of infection. If your immune system is compromised (for example, if you are receiving chemotherapy or are having an organ transplant) even the risk of infection in a particular tooth may be reason enough to pull the tooth.
- Periodontal (Gum) Disease. If periodontal disease — an infection of the tissues and bones that surround and support the teeth — has caused the loosening of the teeth, it may be necessary to pull the tooth or teeth.
How to Prepare for Tooth Extraction?
To get ready for a tooth extraction procedure, we will normally take an X-ray of the tooth causing issues.
As a surgical tooth extraction will normally be carried out under local anaesthetic, you must also inform us if you are currently prescribed any kind of medication, supplements, or other drugs.
To avoid any tooth extraction complications you should also inform us if you have any conditions such as diabetes, liver or thyroid disease, hypertension, an artificial joint, or immune impairment.
It’s also worth knowing you may be prescribed antibiotics if your surgery is expected to be particularly long.
Tooth Extraction Procedure
If you are having a tooth removed via this procedure, you may be wondering how long does a tooth extraction take? To extract one tooth, the operation can take as little as 20-40 minutes but for multiple teeth, it may take an additional 15 minutes per tooth.
Simple tooth extraction
There are two main types of tooth extraction procedures, the first is called simple as it deals with teeth that are visible to you and will normally be carried out by a dentist.
Surgical Tooth extraction
The more complex tooth root removal procedure is surgical tooth extraction. The reason it’s more complicated is that in this case, you may have an impacted tooth that has become trapped inside the jaw. This procedure is more likely to be carried out by an oral surgeon as an incision needs to be made in your mouth.
Tooth Extraction Complications
If your dentist recommends a removal procedure they’ll let you know to expect symptoms like swelling after a tooth extraction. Beyond this, there are a couple of other complications you may experience and we’ll cover how best to deal with them.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to erupt and are positioned at the very back of your tooth formation. They can be found on both the upper and lower parts of the mouth and typically appear between your late teens and early twenties. Not all wisdom teeth become problematic, in fact, most don’t. However, others who do experience wisdom tooth problems can encounter pain, infection and difficulty eating.
The procedure is typically performed when:
- The wisdom teeth impact other molars
- Don’t fully erupt
- Erupt, but only partially
- Erupt but causing pain and discomfort
When to visit your dentist
It is notoriously difficult to monitor the development of wisdom teeth due to their differing development patterns. Obvious symptoms such as pain, overcrowded teeth, damage to nearby teeth or gums and infection should be treated immediately by your dentist. Even if you are experiencing no problems with your wisdom teeth, it’s important to arrange check-ups every six months
Does tooth extraction hurt?
Most of the pain you may experience with a tooth extraction happens post-procedure. A local (or in some cases general) anaesthetic is applied to eliminate any pain during the procedure. However, once this wears off and the procedure is finished, you can expect some minor soreness around the treatment site.
Tooth extraction pain can easily be treated with some over-the-counter pain medication or any medication provided by your dentist or medical practitioner. There are other ways to help alleviate the pain, such as:
- Applying an ice pack to the sore area (10 minutes at a time max as any longer and this can cause tissue damage)
- Get plenty of rest
- Eating soft foods
- Cleaning your mouth with salt water one day after your treatment