What is a Dental Extraction?
Extraction is a type of surgical procedure in which one or more teeth are removed. This extraction can be of the whole tooth or of a portion, which will depend on the technique used and the instruments.
The great objective is that there is as little trauma as possible, for this reason it is necessary to have some care before and after the extraction so that recovery is the best and there is the lowest possible risk.
Prior to performing the extraction, it is necessary to make a complete study of the patient’s situation.
Index of contents:
- Why do an extraction?
- What are the pre-extraction treatments?
- What to do after the tooth extraction?
- Is the treatment painful?
- Is it advisable to put an implant in the space of the extracted tooth?
- In case you want to put an implant, is there a time limit to do so?
Why do an extraction?
There are many reasons that can lead us to perform an extraction. The most normal thing is that it appears due to some caries or periodontal diseases, but it can also be, for example, having an anomaly in position or situation, retained teeth or supernumerary teeth.
The decay what they do is to generate a process of total destruction in the soft and hard tissues of the oral area, something that also happens with the periodontal disease.
However, it is not necessary for the patient to suffer from any of the above points to decide that an extractions should be done. There are other cases that could lead to this, such as having to place a dental prosthesis. Sometimes, you have to remove some dental pieces so that the dental prosthesis has a good stability. Something similar happens when it is necessary to place orthodontics where space is needed for the teeth to move properly.
What are the pre-extraction treatments?
If the professional dentist has decided that it is the best treatment to apply, then these are the care that we recommend you perform before the extraction:
- Rest properly the day before
- Follow the antibiotic treatment indicated by the specialist
- Come accompanied then sedation will prevent you from driving.
- Indicate if you have any pathology or take any medication.
- Do not drink alcohol two days before the extraction.
What to do after the tooth extraction?
Once the extraction has been done, it is also recommended to follow some recommendations to avoid complications:
- Bite a piece of gauze for a specific time just after the extraction.
- Do not touch the wound with your tongue
- Rest all day
- Place ice in the area
- If you follow these recommendations of care before and after the extraction you will see how everything goes well and there are no complications in the extraction.
Is the treatment painful?
During the procedure you do not feel pain or discomfort, you will only notice the pressure, since it is done using local anesthesia. Even so, it is completely normal to feel some discomfort or slight pain in the days after treatment. The dentist will indicate the guidelines to follow.
Is it advisable to put a dental implant in the space of the extracted tooth?
Yes. The reasons for placing implants after an extraction are many. Between them:
- Avoid the progressive loss of the bone in the absence of the tooth.
- Avoid mobility of neighboring teeth.
- Recover the ability to chew.
- Recover dental aesthetics.
In case you want to put an implant, is there a time limit to do so?
It is advisable in most cases to place the implant at 3 months (after which time we will find mature bone) and in that way we will prevent it from producing a bone reabsorption or movements of the neighboring teeth. In certain cases, there is the possibility of placing the implants after extraction.