Tooth Extraction: Procedure, Recovery, and After-Care
Tooth extractions are relatively standard and become necessary for various reasons, including extensive damage or decay. In addition, tooth removal is a routine dental process that helps eliminate bacteria from your mouth to enhance your overall dental health.
What Exactly Is Tooth Extraction?
Tooth removal is a dental process in which your tooth is obliterated from its socket. Pulling a tooth is an alternative name for this process.
When Are Tooth Extractions Recommended?
You might receive a recommendation for tooth extraction from the dentist in Garrettsville, OH, if they cannot preserve it using therapeutic techniques such as dental fillings or crowns. If your tooth damage is severe and beyond repair, removal becomes essential. The Garrettsville dentist might recommend tooth removal if you have severe decay, impacted teeth, crowded teeth, severe periodontal disease, or other dental injuries.
Who Performs Tooth Removal Procedures?
The Garrettsville dentist performs tooth extractions in Garrettsville, OH, besides other specialists like periodontists and oral surgeons. General dentists perform most tooth removal procedures, referring complicated cases to specialists.
What Happens before Tooth Removal?
Before tooth removal, your dentist will evaluate the affected tooth and surrounding gums by taking x-rays to determine bone levels and the extent of the damage. Before scheduling your procedure, they also inquire about your medications, including vitamins and supplements. They also discuss the sedation options comprehensively after gathering all information besides the treatment with you in detail.
Sedation Techniques in Dentistry
Many dentists offer oral conscious sedation during tooth removal procedures. Sedation is excellent for people with severe dental anxiety. It is also an option for patients needing light sedation to remain comfortable during their appointment.
Medications in sedation include tranquilizers, antianxiety drugs, depressants, and nitrous oxide administered differently.
If you need light level sedation dentist suggests nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, delivered through a mask over your nose. Nitrous oxide dissipates quickly from the body, allowing you to drive home after your appointment.
You can request oral conscious sedation delivered by pills about an hour before your dental appointment. The dosage of the sedation varies depending on your needs. However, you need a family member or friend to operate vehicles to and from the dental practice.
Whether receiving nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation, local anesthesia is injected into your mouth to block pain impulses of the affected tooth and gums.
The Tooth Extraction Procedure
You receive local anesthesia near the affected tooth and numb it and the surrounding gum tissue. Then, the dentist uses special instruments to loosen visible teeth needing extraction before removing them with forceps. Unfortunately, if your tooth is impacted or broken at the gum line, the dentist makes incisions in your gums to access your tooth for removal. After tooth removal, the dentist cleans and disinfects the tooth socket.
Recovery after Tooth Extraction
After tooth removal, the dentist places a piece of gauze over the extraction site asking you to bite on it with steady pressure to prevent bleeding and help blood clot formation. During recovery, clotting is expected because it promotes healing and prevents the risk of dry sockets. You can remove the gauze when the bleeding ceases, although you might experience some bleeding during the initial 24 hours.
Benefits of Removing a Tooth
Removing a tooth has many benefits. Most importantly, it removes the harmful mouth bacteria that damage your teeth and gums. When left untreated, a decayed or damaged tooth can impact your smile and create many other complications. Instead, when you accept the proposal, you allow yourself the best chances for optimal dental health. In addition, removing the tooth helps ease dental pain immediately, especially if your tooth is broken or infected.
Tooth Extraction After-Care
After tooth extraction, your dentist provides a comprehensive list of after-care instructions you must follow for a speedy recovery.
You must ensure that you keep the extraction site clean by gently rinsing the area with antimicrobial mouthwash as recommended by your dentist Hiram. You can avoid brushing over the extraction site until your dentist permits you. Clean and floss your remaining teeth as usual.
Dentists prescribe pain relievers after tooth removal because the discomfort starts soon as the anesthesia wears off. Take the medications as recommended or use over-the-counter pain relievers for relief. Besides avoiding strenuous activity for at least 48 hours, you must also stay away from crunchy and hard foods relying instead on a soft diet until you recover.
Tooth extractions will not confine you to your bed and allow you to return to your position or school within a couple of days. Unfortunately, if you have a job requiring you to lift heavy objects, you might need some time off work. Tooth extractions near you are not fearsome and are merely a process to eliminate infections in your mouth to enhance your oral health.
Garrettsville Dental Group performs many extractions using minimally-invasive techniques. If you must have your teeth removed, please do not hesitate to contact this practice for the removal and receive comprehensive after-care instructions to recover quickly.