What is an extraction?
Simply, it is the removal of a tooth or the remnants of a tooth from the oral cavity.
Why might I need an extraction?
At Lightwood, we believe extraction is the last resort to a dental problem – your own natural teeth are structurally far superior to any denture, bridge or implant.
However, there are incidences when extraction is the only viable option, including
- Tooth too broken down or decayed to save
- Severe pain
- Large swelling or infection which cannot be cleared by other means (IE root canal treatment)
- Traumatic bite (the tooth is biting into other oral structures due to its position)
- Oral, facial & dental trauma
What can I expect when I have an extraction?
Having a tooth out is the same as having an operation. Because of this, you must look after the area to aid healing and to reduce the risk of infection. Here are some pointers:
First 24 hours:
- Expect soreness, bleeding, numbness from the aesthetic, jaw ache. Sometimes, there can be bruising and swelling
- If you need painkillers, take what you would ordinarily have for a headache
- Avoid hot drinks & hot food
- Don’t smoke, don’t drink any alcohol & try not to disturb the blood clot which might have formed
- Don’t rinse your mouth for 24 hours after extraction
After 24 hours:
- Rinse gently with warm salty water – a teaspoon of salt in a tumbler of water is enough
- Rinse 5 x daily, when you wake up, after each meal, and then before you brush your teeth at night
- Brush your teeth as normal to keep your mouth as clean as possible
- You may feel some small pieces of bone work their way out of the socket – don’t worry, this is perfectly normal
- If you feel pain easing, but then suddenly come back & foul taste or smell, it might be where the blood clot has broken down leaving an empty hole in the gum. This is called a ‘dry socket’ and will need to be looked at by your dentist. Simply call the Practice & we will pack the wound to ease your discomfort
Your dentist may have given you some gauze to place onto the area where the tooth has been removed – if not, a clean cloth handkerchief, linen or towel will do (do not use tissue paper, cotton wool etc as they can break up, get into the clot and cause an infection).
Stemming bleeding after extraction or oral surgery
- Roll the gauze, handkerchief or linen into a small firm pad or sausage, large enough to cover the gap
- Sitting upright, put the clean pad over the gap (from tongue side to cheek side) and bite down on it firmly for 20 minutes
- Take the pad off and check whether the bleeding has stopped. If not, apply a fresh pad and contact your dentist
Wisdom Teeth
Sometimes there may not be room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth and as they start to come through, they push against the teeth already there or may start to come through at an angle. When this happens, you might feel some pain or discomfort, so the best thing to do is to call the Practice to arrange an appointment.
Your dentist may take an X-Ray of your teeth. From this, they will be able to make a judgement on whether the wisdom tooth can be treated conservatively – warm salt water, soft diet and fluids – or whether removal of the wisdom tooth is indicated.
We may take wisdom teeth out here or you may need referral, depending on the complexity of the tooth
