Extractions

A dental extraction is a process of removing a tooth from its socket. A tooth may have to be extracted when it's damaged due to external trauma or when it has been severely decayed due to cavities. In most cases, the damaged tooth can be saved with the application of filling or by using restorative means such as crowns and veneers. But, if the extent of damage is too much, it would be better to extract the tooth.

When is a tooth extraction necessary?

• A tooth that is severely decayed will have to be extracted to prevent the infection from spreading to the adjoining teeth.
• A tooth that is cracked, fractured, or chipped due to external injuries and no restorative method can be used to restore it will have to be removed.
• Wisdom tooth extraction is done to remove a wisdom tooth stuck in between the gums and the jawbone. If not removed, the gum tissue close to the tooth could be affected.
• During the installation of braces, one or more teeth will have to be removed to make space for the remaining teeth to move.
• When the gums are affected by periodontitis, there are chances of the infection spreading to nearby teeth, which may have to be removed.
• A dental extraction may have to be performed in children when the milk teeth refuse to fall off.

What is the surgical process involved, and is it painful?

A dental extraction is usually completed in just one visit to the dentist's office. But, when multiple teeth are being extracted, it may take more than one visit. It is a fairly simple process and is completed in a few minutes. Local anesthesia is administered to the gums so that the tooth and surrounding tissues would become numb. Next, it is gripped using dental forceps and nudged horizontally to help it loosen from its socket in the jawbone. Once loose, the tooth will be extracted fully, along with the roots.

A major misconception about dental extraction is that it would be too painful. However, this is not true, as the tooth that is being extracted and the nearby tissues will be numb under the sedative effect. Only a small amount of pressure is felt when the tooth is being pulled out. The ligaments holding the tooth would give up when nudged, and the tooth is removed without causing pain.

Following the extraction, each person has a different response to the after-effects. Generally, when a tooth is extracted from the upper jaw, it is less painful than a tooth extracted from the lower jaw. This is so because the lower jawbone is dense compared to the upper one, and hence, the force applied is more. The wound would heal within a few weeks, where the gums would cover the extraction socket. It is always advisable to go for tooth replacement, as missing teeth could cause many complications.

To have a consultation with our professional dentists in Herriman, UT, please schedule an online  appointment or call us at (801) 542-0998, and we will be happy to help.