Extraction, removal or colloquially "extraction" of the tooth, despite the development of dentistry, is still sometimes necessary. When is it necessary to remove a tooth? How is the extraction going? What is the surgical tooth extraction? Is a dry socket the only complication of a tooth extraction?

Extraction ,removalor colloquially"tooth extraction"is a surgical procedure performed in The essence of the procedure is the removal of the tooth from the oral cavity. The tooth extraction procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia. Thanks to the use of local anesthesia, the entire procedure is painless. pressure and distension in the operated area. Toothache has been a bane of humanity since ancient times. Initially, the only treatment option was to remove the causal tooth. At that time, it was occupied by barbers or blacksmiths. The progress of dental science and technology meant that more and more teeth can be saved, but in some cases the extraction procedure is necessary.

Indications for tooth extraction

In recent years, there has been an amazing development of dental specializations. New technologies and currently used dental materials make it possible to save many teeth from extraction. Unfortunately, there are still situations when a tooth needs to be extracted. The dentist, after taking an interview, carefully examining the patient and assessing additional tests, such as an X-ray, assesses whether a given tooth can still be saved.

Indications for tooth extraction may result from diseases of the hard tissues of the teeth that are not suitable for conservative or prosthetic treatment. Some teeth with irreversible pulpitis are not suitable for endodontic treatment. It may result from obstruction of the canals or from insufficient amount of tooth tissue for its reconstruction after endodontic treatment. Such teeth should be removed.

As a result of advanced diseases of the tissues surrounding the tooth (the so-called periodontium), the tooth's bone support is lost. Considerable loosening of the teeth, tooth roots outside the alveolar process, recurrent troublesome periodontitis are just some of the conditions that require tooth extraction.

A separate group of indications for tooth extraction are indications related to orthodontic treatment.The orthodontist, after careful analysis of the data obtained in the diagnostic process, may decide to remove one or even several teeth.

Fights, traffic accidents, sports are common causes of facial skull injuries. As a result, a tooth fragment may crack or break off. Not all broken teeth are doomed to extraction, which is decisive for the degree of destruction of adjacent tissues and the course of the tooth fracture line. Teeth displaced with the fracture line running along the root are considered poor prognosis. Mechanical injuries may also cause fracture of the jaw bone or mandible, if the tooth is in the fracture gap and hinders healing, it may be necessary to remove it.

How is the tooth extraction procedure performed

If indications for extraction are established, the dentist may remove the tooth. After the appropriate anesthesia is performed, the doctor starts the procedure. It consists of several successive stages. In the first phase, the dentist, using appropriate tools, tears off the circular ligament surrounding the tooth.

The next step is to apply forceps and dislocate the tooth. To facilitate this process, appropriate movements have been assigned to each tooth, thanks to which the periodontal fibers are broken and the tooth is separated from the bone.

Extraction movements result from the anatomy, position of the teeth and the structure of the surrounding bone.

A properly shattered tooth can be pulled out of the socket.

The tooth is already outside the mouth, but it is not the end of the procedure. The doctor thoroughly cleans the socket so that no inflammatory changes, bone fragments or a crushed tooth remain in it. This stage is called curettage (in exceptional circumstances it may be omitted).

The wound from the extracted tooth is treated. The simplest and most frequently applied dressing is a sterile gauze pad, which the patient has to chew for 20 minutes to stop the bleeding. In some situations it is advisable to stitch the wound.

In the case of multi-rooted teeth, it may be necessary to "cut" the tooth into smaller fragments. Each of the obtained parts of the tooth is then removed from the bone and the wound properly dressed.

Surgical tooth extraction

The tooth extraction procedure is most often performed in the case of impacted wisdom teeth (the so-called "eights"). The indications for this procedure are also the roots of the teeth left in the bone, as well as all situations in which the tooth cannot be removed in a less invasive way.

Surgical tooth extraction is performed under anesthesialocal (less often in general). The procedure consists in incising the gingival mucosa at the level of the removed tooth, then the mucosa and the periosteum are separated from the bone. This is how the doctor accesses the bone surrounding the tooth. With the help of special tools (drills), the layer of bone surrounding the tooth is removed. Thanks to this, the tooth is easily extracted from the surrounding bone. The wound after surgery should be sutured and properly dressed. It is very important to follow medical recommendations in the post-treatment period.

Complications after a tooth extraction

As with any other procedure, complications may arise in the case of tooth extraction. We can distinguish two groups of complications:

  • complications during the procedure
  • complications after the procedure

Local complications arising during the procedure include, among others, damage to the nearby vessels or nerves, fracture of an adjacent tooth, bone fracture, opening of the maxillary sinus, accidental extraction of an adjacent tooth. In addition to local complications, general complications may occur during the procedure, most often resulting from the patient's comorbidities (e.g. heart problems, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy), so it is very important to inform the doctor about all the diseases we suffer from before the procedure.

The second group, i.e. complications after tooth extraction, includes:

  • dry socket
  • prolonged bleeding
  • purulent alveolitis

In the period after teeth extraction (especially the side teeth), the opening of the mouth may be limited, and jaw-clenching may appear.

If there are complications related to the presence of bacteria, fever and malaise may occur within a few days after tooth extraction. Disturbing symptoms occurring after tooth extraction should prompt you to visit a dentist. The doctor will undertake treatment that will help eliminate the complications, limit their extent and bring relief from suffering.

Tooth extraction - recommendations after the procedure

After tooth extraction, the patient should follow the instructions given by the doctor in the dentist's office. This is very important as it limits the number of complications that occur.

When local anesthesia given by your doctor stops working, you may experience pain that is managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

The patient should not eat or drink anything for two hours after the procedure. Subsequent meals consumed on the next day after extraction should be soft and cool. It is recommendedmaintaining proper oral hygiene. It is not advisable to rinse the mouth intensively even for 3 days after the procedure. Smoking should be abandoned for a minimum of one day after the procedure.

Category:

Dentistry and Orthodontics