What Happens During a Tooth Extraction Process?

Clearwater Dentists Explain What To Expect From Having A Tooth Pulled

As hard as we prepare, there are things that can happen without warning. You may wake up in the middle of the night with a throbbing tooth. An errant pass during a hockey game may wind up with a puck hitting you in the mouth. You may just be clumsy and wind up falling on your face doing the dangerous task of just walking down the street. It may just be a wisdom tooth.

In any event, it looks like you will have to have your mouth looked at by a dentist in Clearview, quickly. Chances are good that they may tell you that the tooth needs to be extracted. But you are unsure of what this entails. It can seem very sudden and scary.

You don’t need to be scared. This post will help you. Here’s the answer to the question: “What Happens During A Tooth Extraction Process?”

Tooth Removal Procedures

The first thing they are going to do is to look to make sure that the tooth has to be extracted in the first place. It may be clear if it’s cracked or loose. There are other times when a root canal might be the better option. They will take X-Rays to make sure that no other issues are lurking underneath.

Before they proceed, though. the dentist will make sure you don’t have any conditions like hypertension, diabetes, congenital heart defects, or if you are on bisphosphonates, since that might lead to bone death. You may need to be on antibiotics for a few days beforehand if you have a weak immune system or a possible infection.

If all is clear, the next thing they will do is numb up the area around the tooth that will be removed. Obviously, the extraction will require some force, so that is why something like novocaine will be used to ensure that there is no pain when this is being done. They will use an item called an elevator to loosen the tooth and forceps to remove it. It depends on the location and the condition of the tooth.Sometimes it comes out in one piece and other times it may have to be in pieces.

Closing The Tooth Socket

Once the tooth has been extracted, there may be some bleeding. The Clearwater dentist can initially try to control that by putting stitches in there to allow a clot to form over the empty space. The goal is to allow the clot to stay there to aid in the healing of the now toothless area in the jaw.

Post Tooth Extraction Healing

When you get home, you need to rest for the remainder of the day. Eat soft, cool foods. Nothing hot, since that can cause problems with healing. Also, avoid crunchy foods, since those pieces can fall into the clotting area. After the anesthetic has worn off, you may start to feel pain. Alternate Tylenol and something like Motrin to keep the pain manageable.

Do not drink from a straw or smoke, since both of those can cause the blood clot to dislodge and then you have to contend with a painful situation called dry socket. It’s best to avoid that. You can gently swish with warm salt water to keep the extraction site clean and prevent infections. Overall, you should feel better within a few days and the area should fully heal in a few weeks.

There are some things that you can do to tilt things more in your favor in terms of preventing this from happening. Brush your teeth carefully twice a day for two minutes at a time and floss once, at night. Wear a mouthguard if you are playing sports like basketball or hockey. It’s not a guarantee that it won’t happen, but it can lessen the danger.

Ultimately, dental technology and medicine have made this a very routine procedure and the healing process is much faster than in earlier days. If you do have to have a tooth extracted, just follow the directions that you get from the dentist and everything shou

ld go smoothly. Of course, if you still feel pain a few days later or if there is bleeding, then go back to the dentist to ensure that an infection has not set in. Otherwise, you can talk about filling that empty space, which is a topic for another time.

When To Call Our Clearwater Dentists

Having a painful, loose, or broken tooth definitely falls under the category of “When To Call Our Clearwater Dentists” at Dental ER. The staff will swiftly examine the problem and then do the tooth extraction. They will gladly guide you through the healing process and ensure that you get back to your excellent oral health. You can find general dentists on the staff too so that they can take care of your routine dental exams. Give them a call today – 727-449-2424.

Dental Emergency Room
1935 Drew Street,
Clearwater, Florida 33765
Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: 727-449-2424