Tooth Extraction
Our practice aims to save every tooth in your mouth. Tooth extraction or removal of the tooth is only suggested after all other possibilities have been exhausted or when it truly makes no sense to keep a tooth.
The procedure is relatively short and painless. A local anaesthetic is used for every extraction to prevent any pain. You will only feel slight pressure in the area of the extraction.
What are the options for replacing an extracted / missing tooth?
Before the extraction we will discuss and consider every option for replacing the lost tooth, so that the time when you do not have a tooth is as short as possible. The possibilities include implants, bridges or removable dentures.
Wisdom teeth. To keep them or to extract them?
Not every wisdom tooth needs to be extracted. Only the teeth that are currently the cause of problems or potentially problematic in the future are suitable for extraction. Here is a list of several situations where wisdom teeth might possibly cause a problem:
- Your jaw is not large enough for the tooth to erupt. The tooth remains in the bone, which can cause problems in the future.
- The wisdom tooth can grow into the mouth only partially. The tooth is partially covered with the gum, which often traps food. This causes gingivitis, leaving your gums red, swollen and painful. Even opening the mouth can become a problem due to this kind of inflammation.
- Impacted wisdom teeth (the eruption of the wisdom tooth is obstructed by other teeth) can cause serious problems such as inflammation, damage to adjacent teeth or bone or even cyst formation.
- Wisdom teeth can erupt at a wrong angle, making them non-functional and causing frequent accidental biting of the inner cheek.
After a tooth extraction
In most cases post-extraction recovery only takes a few days. Here are some tips to ease your recovery:
- Use a cold compress on your outer cheek the first day after the procedure to reduce swelling.
- Rest and abstain from physical activity after the procedure to reduce the chance of bleeding.
- Do not use drinking straws for a few days after the procedure. The pressure depression can cause the blood clot in the wound to be softened or removed, which can cause bleeding and prolong the healing time.
- Do not smoke for at least 48 hours after the procedure as smoking also causes pressure depression that can damage the blood clot in the wound. Cigarette smoke also reduces blood flow in the wound which can result in inflammation and prolongs the healing process.
- Do not touch the extraction wound with your finger or tongue to avoid removing the blood clot.
- You can gently wash out your mouth with saline or mouthwash containing chlorhexidine (antiseptic) the day after the procedure to promote faster healing without complications.
- Clean your teeth as usual, but be more careful and gentle around the area of the extracted tooth.
