A Tooth extraction may be necessary when the tooth is damaged beyond repair or if there is a severe infection. The removal of teeth could require local anesthesia and basic surgery. This depends on the location of the tooth and the condition of the nerve.
If your tooth is suffering from severe decay or damage, your dentist may recommend extraction.
There are two types of extractions –
1) Simple extraction
2) Surgical extraction.
With a simple extraction, your dentist is able to loosen the tooth with an instrument referred to as an elevator. The tooth is then removed using forceps.
If the tooth is broken off at the gum line or if there are other difficulties, your dentist may need to perform surgery to safely extract the tooth. Wisdom teeth are the last of the molar teeth. They appear around the age of 17 to 24 years old in some people and in some cases, never appear at all. Up to four wisdom teeth can emerge in a person, one tooth in each corner of the mouth.
The Problem with Wisdom Teeth
While wisdom teeth arise without any problem in many people, in some cases there is less space for their growth, in these cases they are called impacted wisdom teeth. These impacted teeth can cause problems like:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Decay or Infection in adjacent teeth
- Swollen Gum
- Stiff and Sore Jaw
- Bad taste and Bad Breath
Who Needs Wisdom Teeth removal?
Anyone who is having the problems listed above should think of removing their impacted teeth, especially those who suffer:
- Infection
- Tumor or Cyst
- Tooth Decay
- Gum Disease around the Impacted Teeth
Alternative Treatments:
In some people using antibiotics brings about temporary relief from symptoms. In certain cases, cutting the gum around the impacted tooth works. In majority of cases, however, impacted wisdom teeth must be removed.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction procedure:
Most of the patients are operated under local anesthesia, i.e. numbing the area around the impacted tooth/teeth. Once Patient has profuse anesthesia a few simple steps are followed to remove the impacted wisdom teeth:
- Making a small cut in the gum over the impacted tooth
- Removing some bone to make space for lifting the tooth
- Plucking the tooth out
- Putting in sutures to aid healing of the gum
After care:
The patient is allowed to go home soon as the anesthesia wears off. In case of general anesthesia, sedation it takes a bit longer and someone needs to accompany the patient home and stay with him or her for 24 hours. If the patient experiences any of the following effects, he/she should contact the dentist or an emergency because these indicate infection or some other complication.
- Bleeding does not stop on applying pressure
- Bleeding continues for over half an hour
- Difficulty in breathing or swallowing
- Continued swelling of the face for more than 3 days after the surgery, foul odor and purulent discharge
- High body temperature or fever
- Failure of painkillers in relieving severe pain
Side-effects:
After the successful removal of impacted wisdom teeth, some mild and temporary side effects are commonly experienced. Commonly reported side-effects include:
- Feeling of general sickness due to anesthesia.
- Occasional bleeding from the gums, usually up to 12 hours or more
- Swelling of the face
- Pain and stiffness of the jaw( trismus) usually lasting several days
Other Complications:
Complications are problems occurring during or after the procedure of Wisdom Teeth Extractions. In most cases, complications do not arise.
Possible complications can include:
- Excessive bleeding during or soon after the removal of the tooth
- Infection
- Unexpected reaction to the anesthetic agent
In the case of complications, further treatment may be needed such as another operation for cessation of bleeding, or using antibiotics for treating infection.
Please call us at (505)-585-5157 (or) email us at apexdentalnm@gmail.com to schedule an
appointment .
