What Can You Expect during Tooth Extractions?

Teenagers and adults generally experience tooth extractions when they have their wisdom teeth removed. However, there are other reasons why tooth extractions are necessary during adulthood.

If you are affected by extensive tooth decay, infections, and crowding, you may have to have the problematic tooth extracted. If you are undergoing or expected to undergo orthodontic treatment, one or two teeth may have to be removed to provide sufficient space for the other teeth to shift into place. Extractions are also necessary for people undergoing chemotherapy or considering organ transplants to keep their mouth in a healthy condition.

The dentist near you or an oral surgeon performs tooth extractions in a relatively quick outpatient procedure. Local, intravenous, or general anesthesia is administered to make it a painless process. Extracting visible teeth is known as a simple extraction, but if the teeth are broken or below the gum line, the procedure will become more intensive.

How to Prepare for Tooth Extraction?

Tooth Extraction in Phoenix, AZ, will take an x-ray of the tooth before the procedure. However, you must provide information to the dentist about any medications you are having, including vitamins, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs.

Inform the dentist if you are expecting treatment for other medical conditions with the intravenous drug bisphosphonate. In such cases, the dentist will recommend you have the extraction performed before the other surgery.

It would be helpful if you provided your dentist with information about any conditions like diabetes, liver disease, thyroid conditions, hypertension, impaired immune system, or a history of bacterial endocarditis. The dental professional may want to ensure the conditions are stable or treated before performing the extraction.

Prescription antibiotics before the procedure may be recommended if the surgery is expected to be long or you have a specific medical condition or a weakened immune system.

On the day of the scheduled procedure, it would be helpful if you did not smoke beforehand and wear loose-fitting clothing if you have chosen intravenous anesthesia as the pain reliever during the process. Refrain from eating or drinking anything for at least 6 to 8 hours before the procedure. Make sure you have someone with you to drive you back home after the process if you are receiving general anesthesia.

The Tooth Extraction Procedure

Depending on whether your tooth is visible or impacted, the procedure you are undergoing will be simple or surgical.

During a simple extraction, you will receive local anesthesia to numb the area around the tooth. You will feel some pressure, but no pain as the dentist in Phoenix uses an elevator to loosen the tooth before it is extracted with forceps.

If you are undergoing a surgical extraction, you will receive intravenous anesthesia as well as local anesthesia. If general anesthesia is administered, you will be unconscious throughout the procedure.

Tooth extraction in Phoenix, AZ, will make incisions into the gums to remove some bone around the tooth before the tooth itself is extracted.

The Time Needed for Recovery after Tooth Extraction

After undergoing the procedure to have a tooth extracted, the foremost question in your mind would be how long does it take to recover from a tooth extraction? Generally, you will require a few days to recover from the procedure. The following steps can help to ensure your recovery is moved and without complications.

• You must apply an ice pack to your teeth following the procedure to reduce swelling. The ice pack must be used for 10 minutes at a time.
• The dentist would have placed a gauze pad over the site of the extraction. Bite down on the pad to reduce bleeding and to help form a clot. Leave the gauze pad in position for at least 3 to 4 hours or until it is saturated with blood.
• Take any medications prescribed by the dentist along with over-the-counter painkillers if recommended.
• Relax for the first 24 hours without attempting to jump into your regular activities even on the following day.
• Use cushions to prop up your head when sleeping down.
• Eat soft foods such as yogurt, pudding, and applesauce the day after the procedure.
• As you heal over the following days, you can reintroduce other foods into your diet.

Tooth extractions are unlikely to cause any severe problems, but if you do experience pain that is not subsiding, you must make an appointment to see your dentist at the earliest.