Needing to have a tooth extracted from a patient’s mouth is more common than you might think. In fact, most sources indicate that nearly sixty percent of people, or more, will need to have their wisdom teeth removed with a procedure involving tooth extraction. San Antonio residents might be wondering if getting a tooth extraction procedure is the same thing as having a tooth pulled, as this is more commonly known and it essentially is. Keep in mind that a tooth extraction is not pulled out in the same way that cartoons and TV shows often make it seem, and it can be a complex process.
How is a Wisdom Tooth Pulled?
Many times, cartoons or TV shows will often depict people getting teeth extracted from their mouth with a pair of pliers or some other home remedy, but this is not how a dentist performs tooth extraction. San Antonio residents should know that in order to minimize as much pain and damage to other areas of the mouth, a dentist will first start by making incisions inn the gums to have better access to the teeth that need to be removed. Next, bone might be covering the wisdom tooth that needs to be removed, so this also will have to be removed. Once enough space has been created, the tooth will be removed and the incisions in the gums will be sealed back up.
What to Expect After Tooth Removal?
Even though patients are going to be sedated with some form of anesthesia during the process of tooth extraction, San Antonio residents need to be aware that pain and discomfort is going to happen once the anesthesia wears off. This pain and discomfort can last about a week or two depending on how many teeth were actually removed. During this time patients need to be aware of the foods they are eating because it can often make matters worse. Another thing that many patients do but should not as they recover is smoke because it can cause dry socket in their mouth which can be very painful.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*