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| Extraction
is the complete removal of a primary or a permanent tooth. An extraction
can be surgical or non-surgical. |
| No
one looks forward to an extraction, but modern anesthesia will help
keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. |
Reasons for an extraction are:
# Advanced Gum Disease. This is the reason adults loose their teeth!
# An abscessed tooth that cannot be saved.
# A tooth with decay too deep to save the tooth.
# A tooth that has broken at the gum line and cannot be saved.
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| Nothing
is better than a healthy set of teeth, and many advances in dentistry
has helped you save teeth that could not previously, but sometimes
an extraction is necessary.
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| When
an extraction is performed, it is important to put something in
the place of the missing tooth or teeth. If the space is just left
open, your teeth will shift and cause many unnecessary complications.
An extracted tooth may be replaced by a temporary or permanent bridge,
an implant, or by a partial or complete denture. |
Precautions
Infection
that has progressed from the tooth into the bone. Infections may
make anesthesia difficult. They can be treated with antibiotics
before the tooth is extracted.
The patient's
use of drugs that thin the blood . These medications include warfarin
and aspirin. The patient should stop using these medications for
three days prior to extraction.
Patients who have had any of the following procedures in the previous six months: heart valve replacement, open heart surgery, prosthetic joint replacement, or placement of a medical shunt. These patients may be given antibiotics to reduce the risk of bacterial infection. |
Aftercare
An important
aspect of aftercare is encouraging a clot to form at the extraction
site. The patient should put pressure on the area by biting gently
on a roll or wad of gauze for several hours after surgery. Once
the clot is formed, it should not be disturbed. The patient should
not rinse, spit, drink with a straw, or smoke for at least 24 hours
after the extraction and preferably longer. Vigorous exercise should
not be done for the first three to five days.
For the first two days
after the procedure, the patient should drink liquids without using
a straw, and eat soft foods. Any chewing must be done on the side
away from the extraction site. Hard or sticky foods should be avoided.
The mouth may be gently cleaned with a toothbrush, but the extraction
area should not be scrubbed. |
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