tooth extractions in woodstock, ga

What Is It?

Tooth removal is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone.

What It’s Used For

If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, your dentist will aim to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment option. Sometimes, though, there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In this particular situation, the tooth should be extracted. A considerably loose tooth also will require extraction if it can’t be saved, even with bone replacement surgery (bone graft).

Here are other reasons:

Some individuals have extra teeth that prevent other teeth from coming in.

Sometimes baby teeth do not fall out on time to permit the permanent teeth to come in.

People receiving braces may need teeth extracted to create room for the teeth that are being migrated into place.

Individuals receiving radiation to the head and neck may have to have teeth in the field of radiation extracted.

Individuals receiving cancer prescriptions may develop infected teeth given that these drugs diminish the immune system. Infected teeth may need to be extracted.

Some teeth may need to be extracted if they could become a cause of infection after an organ transplant. Individuals with organ transplants have a high risk of infection because they must take drugs that decrease or subdue the immune system.

Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are often extracted either before or after they come in. They commonly come in during the late teens or early 20s. They need to be removed if they are rotted, cause discomfort or have a cyst or infection. These teeth often get stuck in the jaw (impacted) and do not come in. This can aggravate the gum, causing discomfort and swelling. For this case, the tooth must be removed. If you need all four wisdom teeth removed, they are usually extracted at the same time.

If you anticipate to have treatment with intravenous drugs called bisphosphonates for a medical condition, make certain to see your dentist first. If any teeth need to be extracted, this should be done before your drug treatment begins. Having a tooth extraction after bisphosphonate treatment increases the risk of osteonecrosis (death of bone) in the jaw.

Preparation

Your dentist or oral surgeon will utilize an X-ray of the area to help decide the best way to remove the 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 otc drugs, vitamins and supplements.

If you are having wisdom teeth removed, you might have a panoramic X-ray. This X-ray takes a photo of all of your teeth at once. It can show several things that help to guide an extraction:

The relationship of your wisdom teeth to your other teeth

The upper teeth’s relationship to your sinuses

The lower teeth’s relationship to a nerve in the jawbone that gives feeling to your lower jaw, lower teeth, lower lip and chin. This nerve is called the inferior alveolar nerve.

Any infections, tumors or bone disease that may be present

A number of doctors prescribe prescription antibiotics to be taken before and following surgery. This practice varies by the dentist or oral surgeon. Antibiotics are more likely to be given if:

You come with infection at the time of surgery

You have a weakened immune system

You will have a lengthy surgery

You have specific medical conditions

You may have intravenous (IV) anesthesia, which can differ from conscious sedation to general anesthesia. If so, your doctor will have give you instructions to follow. You should wear clothing with short sleeves or sleeves that can be rolled up conveniently. This allows access for an IV line to be placed in a vein. Don’t ever eat or drink anything for six to eight hours before the operation.

If you have a cough, stuffy nose or cold up to a week before the surgery, contact your doctor. He or she may need to avoid anesthesia until you are over the cold. If you had nausea and vomiting the night before the procedure, call the doctor’s office first thing in the morning. You may need an adjustment in the planned anesthesia or the extraction may ought to be rescheduled.

Do not smoke on the day of surgery. This can increase the risk of a painful problem called dry socket.

Following the extraction, someone will have to drive you home and stay there with you. You will be given post-surgery instructions. It is critical that you follow them.

How It’s Done

There are two kinds of extractions:

A basic extraction is performed on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. General dentists commonly do simple extractions. In a simple extraction, the dentist works loose the tooth with a tool called an elevator. Then the dentist uses a tool called a forceps to remove the tooth.

A surgical extraction is a more challenging procedure. It is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not entered the mouth yet. Surgical extractions commonly are done by oral surgeons. However, they are also done by general dentists. The doctor makes a small incision (cut) into your gum. Sometimes it’s required to remove some of the bone surrounding the tooth or to cut the tooth in half just to extract it.

Most simple extractions can be performed using just an injection (a local anesthetic). You may or may not receive drugs in order to help you relax. For a surgical extraction, you will receive a local anesthetic, and you may also have anesthesia by means of a vein (intravenous). Some people may need general anesthesia. They include patients with specific medical or behavioral conditions and young children.

If you are receiving conscious sedation, you may be given steroids in addition to other medicines in your IV line. The steroids help to reduce swelling and keep you pain-free after the procedure.

In the course of a tooth extraction, you can anticipate to feel pressure, but no pain. If you feel any pain or pinching, advise your doctor.

Follow-Up

Your doctor will give you detailed information on what to do and what to expect after your surgery. If you have any questions, see to it to ask them before you leave the office.

Having a tooth extracted is surgery. You can expect some pain after even simple extractions. Usually it is light. Research has shown that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can considerably decrease pain after a tooth extraction. These drugs include ibuprofen, such as Advil, Motrin and others. Take the dose your doctor recommends, 3 to 4 times a day. Take the first pills before the local anesthesia wears off. Continue taking them for 3 days. Ask your doctor for complete guidelines.

Surgical extractions typically cause more pain after the procedure than simple extractions. The amount of discomfort and how long it lasts will depend upon how difficult it was to remove the tooth. Your dentist may suggest pain medicine for a few days and then suggest an NSAID. Most pain fades away after a few days.

A cut in the mouth tends to bleed much more than a cut on the skin given that it can not dry out and form a scab. After an extraction, you’ll be asked to bite on a portion of gauze for 20 to 30 minutes. This pressure will allow the blood to clot. You will still have a touch of bleeding for the next 24 hours or so. It should wane after that. Don’t disturb the clot that forms on the wound.

You can put ice packs on your face to reduce swelling. Commonly, they are left on for 20 minutes each time and removed for 20 minutes. If your jaw is hurting and stiff after the swelling recedes, try warm compresses.

Eat delicate and cold foods for a couple of days. Then try other food as you feel comfortable.

A mild rinse with warm salt water, started 24 hours after the surgery, can help to keep the area clean. Use one-half teaspoon of salt in a cup of water. Most swelling and bleeding end within a day or two after the surgery. Initial healing takes at least two weeks.

If you need stitches, your doctor may use the kind that dissolve by themselves. This usually takes one to two weeks. Washing with warm salt water will help the stitches to diffuse. Some stitches need to be removed by the dentist or surgeon.

You should not smoke, utilize a straw or spit after surgery. These motions can take the blood clot out of the cavity where the tooth was. Do not smoke on the day of the surgery. Do not smoke for 24 to 72 hours after having a tooth extracted.

Risks

A trouble called a dry socket develops in about 3% to 4% of all extractions. This takes place when a blood clot doesn’t form in the hole or the blood clot breaks off or breaks down too early.

In a dry socket, the rooting bone is made vulnerable to air and food. This can be very agonizing and can cause a bad odor or taste. Typically dry sockets begin to induce pain the third day after surgery.

Dry socket occurs as high as 30% of the time when impacted teeth are removed. It is also more likely after troublesome extractions. Smokers and women who take birth control pills are more likely to have a dry socket. Smoking on the day of surgery further increases the risk. A dry socket needs to be treated with a medicated bandaging to stop the pain and encourage the area to heal.

Infection can arise as a result of an extraction. However, you most likely won’t get an infection if you have a healthy immune system.

Other plausible problems include:

Unintentional damage to nearby teeth, such as fracture of fillings or teeth

An incomplete extraction, wherein a tooth root remains in the jaw– Your dentist typically removes the root to avoid infection, but occasionally it is less risky to leave a small root tip in position.

A fractured jaw caused by the pressure put on the jaw during extraction– This occurs more often in older people with osteoporosis (thinning) of the jaw bone.

A hole in the sinus during removal of an upper backside tooth (molar)– A small hole usually will shut by itself in a few weeks. If not, more surgery may be needed.

Soreness in the jaw muscles and/or jaw joint– It may be challenging for you to open your mouth wide. This can happen because of the injections, keeping your mouth open and/or lots of pushing on your jaw.

Long-lasting numbness in the lower lip and chin– This is an uncommon complication. It is caused by injury to the inferior alveolar nerve in your lower jaw. Complete healing may take three to six months. In rare cases, the numbness may be permanent.

When To Call a Professional

Call your dentist or oral surgeon if:

The swelling gets worse instead of better.

You develop fever, chills or redness

You have trouble swallowing

You develop uncontrolled bleeding in the area

The area continues to ooze or bleed following the first 24 hours

Your tongue, chin or lip feels numb more than 3 to 4 hours after the procedure

The extraction site becomes very uncomfortable– This may be a sign that you have developed a dry socket.

If you have a complication, your dentist usually will prescribe antibiotics.