Extractions

Although we are committed to providing excellent preventive care and advice, it may sometimes be necessary to extract a tooth for the following reasons:

• Extensive decay or advanced gum disease
• A wisdom tooth has become impacted
• A baby tooth has failed to fall out and is preventing the emergence of a permanent tooth
• More room is needed for successful orthodontic treatment or to ensure new dentures fit properly

Benefits

• Can eliminate pain
• Prevents the spread of infection
• Creates extra space

What does the treatment involve?

• We take an x-ray and assess your teeth to ascertain the best method of removal, which will either be a simple extraction or a surgical extraction.
• A simple extraction is performed on a tooth that is visible in the mouth. It involves loosening the tooth and removing it with dental forceps under local anaesthetic
• A surgical extraction involves making a small incision in the gum to remove a tooth that may have broken off or is concealed under the gum.

Aftercare

1. Do not rinse or spit out for the rest of the day, as it will prolong the bleeding.
2. You can eat and drink as normal once the anaesthetic has worn off but keep to a soft diet and avoid the surgical area.
3. If you have stitches they will usually be dissolving unless advised. These will fall out in approximately 2-3 weeks.
4. Keep your fingers and tongue away from the wound.
5. You can expect some minor oozing and blood stained saliva but if the wounds keeps on bleeding:
   • Make a pad out of the swabs and place it on the wound and bite firmly for half an hour.
   • If this does not work, repeat above
   • If the bleeding does not stop please contact me.
6. Start rinsing out with warm salt water, up to four times, the following day.
7. You should expect some soreness, bruising and swelling which is normal and this may restrict your activities over the next few days. If you require pain relief please take Paracetamol in the first 24hrs there after if you need any pain relief take something you would normally take for a headache.
8. If you smoke, try and avoid smoking for as long as you can or have as few cigarettes as you can for up to a week.
9. It may be advisable to place an old towel on your pillow at night in case you dribble out blood stained saliva.
10. Sometimes, the extraction site is fine for a few days and then intense pain develops. This is known as a dry socket and usually does not require antibiotics. You can contact your dentist who will wash out the socket and place a dissolving dressing.
11. You may feel a sharp piece after a couple of days. This can be the edge of the socket or sometimes a spicule of bone that should work itself out.