Tooth extraction involves completely removing a tooth from the mouth. People may require tooth extraction for many reasons, ranging from tooth decay to crowded teeth.
A dentist or dental surgeon will perform the extraction in their clinic and then give the person some instructions for caring for the area as it heals.
During the appointment, the dental surgeon will inject a strong anesthetic into the area around the tooth to prevent the person from feeling any pain. They will then use a series of instruments to loosen the tooth before pulling it out.
After removing the tooth, they will place gauze over the extraction site to help control bleeding and promote clotting.
Learn more about tooth extraction aftercare in this article. We also provide a general healing timeline and explain when to speak to a dentist.
Aftercare for an extracted tooth can vary slightly depending on a few factors.
These include which tooth the dentist took out, as some teeth have deeper roots than others and take longer to heal. However, most people find that pain decreases after about 3 days.
One of the most important aspects of aftercare is maintaining the blood clot that forms in the socket where the tooth used to be.
Caring for this blood clot is key to the healing process, and it helps prevent painful complications, such as dry socket.
Much of the aftercare in the first couple of days following an extraction focuses on allowing a blood clot to form and caring for the mouth in general.
As some experts note, low level bleeding for up to 24 hours after an extraction is perfectly normal. However, active bleeding after this point requires treatment.
Here are a few additional tips for the first 2 days of aftercare:
After the clot has formed, it is vital to keep it securely in place and to follow some extra steps for oral hygiene to help prevent other issues.
Tips for aftercare between the third and 10th day include:
Sometimes, dental surgeons will need to extract more than one tooth at a time. When extracting multiple teeth, the surgeon is more likely to recommend general anesthesia instead of using a local anesthetic.
The person will, therefore, be unconscious throughout the process. The dentist will also give them some special instructions leading up to the extraction, such as avoiding food for a certain time. After the procedure, the person will need someone else to drive them home.
Caring for multiple extractions can be challenging, especially if they are on different sides of the mouth. Dentists may have specific instructions for these cases, and they may request a follow-up appointment shortly after the extraction.
They may also use clotting aids in the extraction sites. These are small pieces of natural material that helps clotting. The body breaks the clotting aids down safely and absorbs them over time.
In general, dentists will remove the wisdom teeth when the person is young and likely to recover from the surgery quickly.
However, the healing time for wisdom teeth extraction may still be much longer than that for a regular tooth, and a person may need to take more time off work or school.
The surgery typically involves removing multiple teeth, and the person may be under general anesthesia during the procedure.
In many cases, dentists may use other techniques to promote healing after these surgeries, such as dissolvable stitches or clotting aids. Aftercare is similar to that for other types of teeth, but a dentist may provide the person with additional tips to aid healing.
Learn more about the recovery from wisdom teeth extraction in this article.
Children with a tooth that needs extracting will undergo a slightly different procedure.
Dentists generally put children under general anesthesia to perform any extraction, which means that the child will be unconscious and not feel anything throughout the surgery.
However, the healing process is similar. It is essential for parents or caregivers to monitor the child’s healing and oral health closely and to ask them questions about symptoms such as pain and bleeding.
It is common to experience pain and swelling after a tooth extraction. Some home remedies may ease the pain at each stage of the healing process.
The normal healing process can take up to 10 days, depending on a range of factors, such as a person’s age and whether they smoke.
Signs that a person should see a dentist include:
Tooth extraction completely removes a problematic tooth to prevent future complications.
After a tooth extraction, proper aftercare is vital, as it helps promote clotting and protect the extraction site during the healing process. Most simple extractions should heal within 7 to 10 days.
Anyone experiencing worsening symptoms after a tooth extraction should see their dentist.
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