Tooth extraction is something that no one wants to deal with. If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, your dentist will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes though, there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In a case like this, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it can’t be saved, even with bone replacement surgery (bone graft). There are also a bunch of medical conditions that to be fixed would require tooth extraction. Hudson residents for example, may have an extra tooth that blocks other teeth from fitting properly in their mouth.
The Preparation Stage
Your dentist or oral surgeon will begin by taking an X-ray of the area to help plan the best way to remove your tooth. Be sure to provide your full medical and dental history and a list of all medicines you take. This should include both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements. In the case of wisdom teeth tooth extraction, Hudson patients have a panoramic x-ray done. This x-ray takes a picture of all of all your teeth at once that can reveal several aspects that help guide an extraction. Some doctors prescribe antibiotics to be taken before and after surgery. This practice varies by the dentist or oral surgeon.
How is The Tooth Extracted
Most simple extractions can be done using just an injection or a local anesthetic as it is called; you may or may not receive drugs to help you relax. For a surgical extraction, you will receive a local anesthetic, and you may also have anesthesia through a vein (intravenous). Some people may need general anesthesia. They include patients with specific medical or behavioral conditions and young children. A simple extraction is performed on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. General dentists commonly can perform a simple tooth extraction. Hudson residents should be aware that in a simple extraction, the dentist loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevator. Then the dentist uses an instrument called a forceps to remove the tooth.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*