What Should Patients Know About Dental Extractions?
Dental extractions are a common type of oral surgery during which one or more teeth are removed from a patient's mouth. Dentists generally try to preserve patients' teeth as much as possible, but sometimes extractions are indicated in cases of severe decay or overcrowding. Dental extractions can be quick and comfortable. Here are four things that patients should know about dental extractions:
1. The type of dental extraction you receive will depend on the tooth you need to have removed.
Some dental extractions are simple, while others are more complex. In general, it is simpler to remove permanent teeth that have emerged from the gum line. Teeth that are still partially or fully embedded below the gums, such as wisdom teeth, will require surgical extraction. Local anesthesia is used for both simple extractions and surgical extractions, but intravenous sedatives are often given to surgical extraction patients in addition. Impacted teeth may require a more lengthy surgical extraction process; in this case, general anesthesia may be indicated.
2. Proper oral care will help you avoid dry sockets.
Dental extractions are outpatient procedures, which means you'll be allowed to return home as soon as your surgery ends. Your dentist may place a few stitches at the site of your dental extraction, especially if they had to make an incision during the procedure. You can care for your extraction site by rinsing it with warm water after meals and avoiding straw use and smoking. Proper oral care can help you avoid dry sockets, a painful condition that occurs when the blood clot is dislodged from the dental extraction site.
3. A modified diet can keep you comfortable while your mouth heals.
Your mouth will take some time to fully heal following a dental extraction. In the weeks that follow, you should eat a modified diet of soft foods to avoid irritating your extraction site. Soups, smoothies, and soft sandwiches are all good choices. You can resume your normal diet as soon as your oral pain goes away and you feel well enough to do so.
4. Dental implants can replace teeth removed through dental extraction.
Once your dental extraction site has fully healed, you can consider tooth replacement options like dental implants. Dental implants are placed in a hole drilled in a patient's jawbone in order to form a solid bond with the patient's own anatomy. You can talk to your dentist about dental implant treatment if you're interested.