Sometimes, some parts of our body develop a fault and they need to be removed to prevent further damage to the body. Also, a tooth or two sometimes needs to be extracted to save the rest of our teeth. Our teeth play an important role in our day-to-day lives. They are responsible for cutting, tearing, and chewing food, pronunciation of words, and shaping our faces. Therefore, a defect in them might be a major setback in the smooth running of our lives. However, sometimes we might have a defect in a tooth that would call for an extraction.
Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth with either local, general, intravenous anesthesia, by a dentist or an oral surgeon.
Tooth extraction is performed for various reasons. It is also used to prevent other teeth in the mouth from being infected or affected. Reasons for tooth extraction include:
- Tooth decay and infection. Tooth decay is a rot in the teeth caused by plaques. It can cause severe pain and affect other teeth if not taken care of quickly.
- Overcrowding. Overcrowded teeth destroy beauty of the teeth. They might also affect your oral health adversely. Therefore, tooth extraction is recommended.
- Failed dental treatment. A failed dental treatment can lead to complications that require tooth extraction.
- Impacted teeth. Impacted teeth are teeth that lack enough space to erupt or develop normally. They might cause pain, infection, and damage to other teeth, hence the need for extraction.
- Dental caries, periodontal diseases, etc.
We have four types of teeth namely: Canine, Incisor, Molar, and Premolar. The last set of teeth to grow in an adult’s mouth are molars called wisdom teeth.
Wisdom tooth extraction is very common because wisdom teeth tend to cause a lot of problems in the mouth. Wisdom teeth are mostly extracted because they are impacted. Impacted wisdom tooth removal helps to eliminate all problems that come with wisdom tooth growth. Wisdom teeth might need extraction if they cause pain, infection, or damage to other teeth.
Wisdom teeth begin to erupt between the age of eighteen to twenty-five. Most people experience pain and discomfort when developing wisdom teeth and this is why they are extracted. A wisdom tooth extraction can be done by a wisdom tooth dentist which is any dental professional that performs teeth extraction.
There are two types of extraction named Simple extraction and surgical extraction.
The simple extraction is a simple process of removal of a visibly affected tooth. This process can be carried out by any general dentist. The dentist numbs your tooth and gum tissues surrounding it with anesthesia and removes it with dental forceps.
The surgical extraction is carried out for a tooth that may have broken off at your gum line or has not grown into your mouth. It is mostly performed by oral surgeons, but can also be performed by a general dentist. During the procedure, anesthetics would be administered. The surgeon or dentist then makes a small incision into your gum and removes the underlying tooth.
What To Do Before A Tooth Extraction Surgery.
A tooth extraction surgery is carried out to protect your oral health, therefore, it is important to follow some procedures for safety purposes.
Your dentist should have a record of your medical conditions and medications. This would help in avoiding conflicting medications and making the right choice of anesthesia.
Before the surgery, do not smoke or eat to avoid nausea. Also, take safety precautions and treat your tooth extraction survey as important as any other surgery.
After a successful tooth extraction surgery, there are things to be done and precautions to be taken. The recovery time after a tooth extraction process is only a few days. During this time, you are expected to take any medications given to you by your dentist, avoid smoking and rest a lot. Brush and floss as usual but avoid the extraction point.
Finally, contact your dentist immediately at the sight of any abnormality.
