How Painful is Surgical Extraction?
You could hear the words tooth extraction and are anxious and even worried, without even hearing the word surgical. It is a both frequent and common response to this treatment. Every dentist is taught to always do their best to save a tooth, but sometimes it cannot be repaired or restored, and extraction is necessary in the best interest of your dental health. Most teeth are typically easy to remove with a simple extraction, but sometimes it could require a more invasive approach, which is surgical extraction.
What is a Surgical Extraction
There are two options for your dentist to remove a tooth if needed. These are:
- A simple extraction.
- A surgical extraction.
Surgical extraction is more involved and means that surgical access is necessary. This is because the tooth has not erupted to be visible and accessible, has broken off, impacted under the gumline, or it has long, or multiple curved roots. Surgical extractions quite often include wisdom teeth removal. Wisdom teeth often present a problem, because of the lack of space at the rear of your mouth they will erupt at an angle or become impacted which will require surgical extraction. Your dentist will make a small incision in your gum first to gain access to the tooth, and this might even include the sectioning of the tooth into several pieces, making it easier to both manipulate and remove each part with less force. The incision is simply closed with sutures. Your dentist will decide with an exam whether your tooth will be a simple extraction or need a surgical approach.
Does the Surgical Extraction Hurt?
In spite of what you may have heard, there is really no pain involved. Having a tooth extracted, whether it be either simple or surgical, will not hurt. You may feel a slight pinch as the immediate area is numbed with a local anesthetic, and once numb you will not feel the procedure. Your dentist will always probe the surrounding gums before beginning the procedure to make sure you are completely numb. Once the surgical extraction begins you might feel some slight pressure and a pulling sensation, but other than that, you should not experience any pain.
What Happens After the Extraction?
No matter whether you have had a simple or a surgical tooth extraction, you still need to follow the post-extraction instructions to avoid any unwanted complications. Your dentist will advise you of these after your treatment. The main elements are quite simple:
- Do not brush around the sutured area, allowing for proper healing.
- Avoid any rinsing or spitting for the first 24 hours.
- Exercise gentle salt mouth washes, starting 24 hours after surgery.
- Do not smoke or participate in any physical activity.
- Use an over-the-counter pain reliever for any discomfort.
Tooth extraction is a frequent and common procedure and nothing to worry about. When you have healed, your dentist will suggest some options to close the gap for both a healthy appearance and normal function. Prevention is better than any cure. Continue your daily oral hygiene habits at home and compliment your work with a dental check-up every six months.