The In-Depth Guide to Simple Extractions

Your teeth are sturdy and designed to be there with you throughout your entire life. Sadly, not everyone is privileged to have all their pearly whites in their old age.

However, there are instances where our dentist in Salem, MA, may recommend that your teeth be pulled. When this is the case, tooth extraction is the only viable option to preserve your dental health. Contrary to popular belief, dental visits aren’t about extractions. Our Salem emergency dentist’s top priority is to save your natural teeth.

Understanding Tooth Extractions

Tooth extraction is a simple outpatient procedure that is designed to remove one or multiple teeth. Extractions are performed under general, local, or intravenous administered anesthesia so that they can be comfortable and pain-free.

A simple extraction is performed when your tooth is visible and is above the gumline. However, if your tooth has not erupted, you might need to undergo a surgical extraction.

Why Is Tooth Extraction Essential?

During your initial visit, our dentist will have a look at your teeth to ascertain whether your teeth can be salvaged or not. If, after a thorough examination, our dentist confirms that the situation warrants it, then your tooth will be extracted. However, we cannot stress this enough; tooth extraction is the last resort.

Extractions are deemed necessary under the following circumstances:

• Gum disease is a severe oral condition that affects the tissue and the bones that hold the teeth in place. The disease starts as an inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). If the disease is not caught in time, it spreads to the underlying structures. At this stage, tooth extraction may be the only possible solution since this stops the infection from spreading.
• Impacted wisdom teeth are also another viable reason for tooth extraction. This means that your teeth haven’t erupted and is a prevalent issue with wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth removal is necessary mainly when the teeth cause pain.
• Crowded teeth can also warrant you to undergo tooth extraction. Overcrowding can make it challenging to obtain the desired results if you are undergoing orthodontic treatment.
• Accidents or trauma to the teeth can distort their structure. Our priority is to save the tooth. However, if it is severely damaged, then there is no option but to extract it.
• Severe tooth decay that has reached the softer inner part of the tooth (dental pulp) can be removed. If root canal therapy cannot be performed to save the tooth, then extraction becomes the best option.
• If you have a weakened immune system after an organ transplant or you are receiving chemotherapy, your doctor may recommend that you get decayed teeth removed. If there is a risk of infection, the decayed tooth will be extracted. This is because a simple infection can be severe or even life-threatening.

How Is Extraction Done?

Our Salem emergency dentist will take X-rays of your teeth to have a clear picture of how your tooth looks. Taking X-rays is vital since it can help our dentist determine which procedure is appropriate for your case.

Before the procedure commences, our dentist will numb the area surrounding the affected tooth. This is done by administering local anesthesia to ensure that you are comfortable and not in pain. When the area is numb, our dentist will use an elevator to pry loose the tooth. During this stage, you might feel some pressure, but you shouldn’t feel pain. If you do, make sure to notify our dentist. Finally, forceps will be used to remove the tooth after it becomes loose.

What to Expect After Extraction

Your socket will undergo three phases:

• The inflammatory phase. This is the initial stage, where your gums become inflamed and then blood clots in the socket. Our dentist places gauze for you to bite down so that your blood can clot—this aids in covering the wound.
• Proliferative phase. The second stage is when new tissue starts forming, and your wound begins to seal.
• Maturation phase. This is the final stage characterized by the formation of a bony network that seals the wound.

Some pain, discomfort, and swelling are expected during the first four days after an extraction. Typically, after two weeks, you can expect the swelling to have gone down. Then, after three weeks, you are due for a post-operative checkup.

If you need an extraction, contact our dentist at Salem Dental Group to schedule an appointment.