Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction process at our Buford Dental Office:

Please call us first thing in the morning if you have cold up to a week before the surgery or had nausea and vomiting the night before the procedure.  The procedure may have to be rescheduled, or a change in the planned anesthesia may be required.  Do not smoke on the day of surgery.  This can increase the risk of a painful problem called dry socket!

• Preparation – We will take an X-ray of the area to help plan the best way to remove the tooth.   We may prescribe antibiotics to be taken before and after surgery if you have an infection or specific medical condition.
• Pain & anxiety Management – You’ll receive local anesthesia to numb the tooth, jawbone and surrounding gums.  If you’re very anxious about the procedure, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or other drugs is available to help you relax.
• For teeth that are seen in the mouth, the dentist will loosen the tooth by rocking it back and forth, and then rotating it to widen the socket for easier extraction.  You shouldn’t feel any pain since your tooth and surrounding area is numbed; however, you may feel a dull pressure.  The tooth will be removed once it is fully detached, and the exposed gum will be covered with gauze.  Most simple tooth extraction procedure only take few minutes to complete.
• For teeth that are not seen in the mouth or broken off at the gum line, a surgical extraction procedure is required.  A small incision (cut) is made to the gum, and some of the bone around the tooth may be removed or the tooth is cut in half in order to extract it.  We generally refer you to an oral surgeon for more complex surgical extractions.

Post Op Instructions:

We will give you detailed instructions on what to do and what to expect after your surgery.  With proper dental care, your mouth should start to feel normal again in 1-2 weeks.  You can expect some mild discomfort after simple tooth extraction.  Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil, Motrin and others can greatly decrease pain after a tooth extraction.  Take the dose recommended by your doctor, which is usually 3 to 4 times a day for 2 to 3 days.  For surgical extractions, our Buford Dentist may prescribe pain medicine for a few days and then suggest an NSAID such as Advil or Motrin.

• Take antibiotics or pain reliever, if needed.
• Bite gently on gauze for 30 minutes to an hour after an extraction to allow the blood to clot.  Don’t disturb the clot that forms on the extraction site.  You may experience small amount of bleeding for the next 24 hours or so which should fade off after that.
• If you experience swelling, apply ice packs 20 minutes at a time (on for 20 minutes, off for 20 minutes) to the jaw area.  Warm compresses can be used if your mouth is sore and stiff after the swelling goes away.  Most swelling will go away within a day or two after the surgery.
• Continue to brush, but avoiding the area surrounding the extraction.
• Gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water will help keep the area clean.  Use one-half teaspoon of salt in a cup of water.
• Avoiding smoking for 24 to 72 hours after surgery.
• Stay away from certain foods and strenuous activity for the first few days.
• Reframe from spitting or rinsing forcefully for 24 hours after the extraction to avoid dislodging the clot that forms in the socket.
• Avoid drinking from a straw for the first 24 hours

Possible Complications of Tooth Extraction:

• About 3% to 4% of all extractions have a risk of developing dry socket where the underlying bone is exposed to air and food.  If you start to experience throbbing pain in the extraction site, bad order or taste 3-4 days after surgery, contact our Buford Dental Office immediately.  Dry socket risks are higher for smokers, women who take birth control pills, and after difficult extractions.  A dry socket is treated with a medicated dressing to stop the pain and encourage the area to heal.
• Infection can set in after an extraction for people with weak immune system.
• Soreness in the jaw making it difficult for you to open your mouth wide.
• Although very uncommon, long-lasting numbness in the lower lip and chin can occur which is caused by injury to the nerve in your lower jaw.  Complete healing may take three to six months. In rare cases, the numbness may be permanent.
• A fractured jaw may occur in older people with osteoporosis (thinning) of the jaw bone due to the pressure put on the jaw during extraction.