Tooth Removal

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Tooth Removal

Tooth removal, also known as tooth extraction, can be carried out by your dentist for a number of reasons. For example, having a loose tooth because of gum disease may require your tooth to be removed to prevent further infection.

Is tooth extraction needed?

There are several reasons why your dentist may recommend that you have a tooth taken out:

• Your tooth has decay or is infected, which can be very painful and lead to an abscess (a collection of pus in the gum).
• A tooth fracture or break as a result of an accident.
• You have severe gum disease which may affect the supporting tissues and bone structures of your teeth.
• Your teeth are crooked because there is not enough space in your mouth for them to fully develop.
• You do not have enough space at the back of your mouth for your wisdom teeth.
  
  

*Before you have your tooth extracted it is important to discuss with your dentist the different options on how it might be replaced.

What are the alternatives?

There are some alternatives to having your tooth removed. These include:

• Antibiotics and painkillers. These can temporarily relieve symptoms such as swelling and pain but are not long-term solutions.
  
• Root canal treatment could be performed if the nerve at the centre of your tooth is painful or infected, or the fracture of the tooth is not too severe. This would then be followed in appropriate circumstances by crowning, which removes infected and damaged blood vessels and nerves from a tooth.
  

Anaesthetic

When you have a tooth removed, you will be given an anaesthetic to make sure you do not feel any pain, usually by a general dentist or oral surgeon. Although the majority of the time you will be awake while the procedure is carried out, sedative drugs can be given with local anaesthesia to help you relax more.

Typically, patients are asked not to eat or drink for about six hours before a general anaesthetic. However, some anaesthetists allow a few sips of water until two hours before the start of the procedure.

The Extraction Process

Once the area around your tooth is numb, your dentist will loosen your tooth, by pushing and rocking, until it can be removed.

Once the tooth has been removed your dentist will squeeze the space in your gum where the tooth was and a piece of gauze will be placed over the area, which you will have to bite down on to help stop the bleeding. Stitches are then put into the gum to help it fully heal.

In some cases, if the damage to your tooth means a lack of room for the forceps to grip, your dentist may need to make a few small cuts in your gum to reach the roots of the tooth. Some of the surrounding bone can then be removed with a drill to lift the tooth out in one piece. Stitches will then be used to close the cuts.

Side-effects

There are some side-effects that may occur after the operation has taken place – usually indicating the procedure was a success. These include:

• Feeling sick as a result of a general anaesthetic
• Occasional bleeding from the gums - Can last 12 hours or more
• Facial swelling, pain and jaw stiffness – can last for several days
• A fever or high temperature
• Severe pain that is not relieved by painkillers
  
  

*You should consult your dentist immediately if you start to suffer from any one of these side-effects.

The following are some complications and unexpected problems that can also occur during or after the operation:

• You may have an unexpected reaction to the anaesthetic.
• You may get an infection in the tooth socket which can be painful, tender and swollen. This is called dry socket and is very rare.
  
  

Complications may require further treatment such as having another operation to stop bleeding, or antibiotics to treat an infection.

The risk of complications depends on the exact position of the teeth being extracted, the type of anaesthetic used and other factors such as your general health.