Good oral health is the key to optimum overall health, and that we know. However, your lifestyle is adversely affected when a tooth or teeth are removed or lost from the oral cavity. Patients usually jump out of the dental seats with their hearts skipping a beat when the dentist advises them to have a tooth extraction, which is understandable. Albeit the fear attached to it, tooth extraction is sometimes the only resort to saving the oral cavity from many other dental problems.

Tooth extraction- What is it? Dental pain is so excruciating and unforgiving at times that it can put you in a physical, emotional, and mental dilemma, hence getting it treated is crucial. Tooth extraction is when a dentist pulls out the problem causing tooth or teeth from your oral cavity under anesthesia. There are two types of tooth extraction: surgical tooth extraction and non-surgical (simple) tooth extraction.

Surgical extraction When an incision is made around the gums of the affected tooth under anesthesia (local or general) for better access, it is considered a surgical extraction, and stitches to heal the cut/incision are needed at the end of the treatment. A patient undergoes a surgical tooth extraction if: *Partially erupted or impacted wisdom teeth are not easily accessible *Problems in the jaw (such as lockjaw when people have limited mouth opening) *Severely decayed/infected/traumatized teeth *For orthodontic treatment

Non-surgical extraction When the affected tooth is extracted under local anesthesia without any surgical cut (incision) in your gums with no stitches at the end, it is considered a simple or non-surgical extraction. You are a suitable candidate for a non-surgical extraction when: *Teeth are easily accessible and fully erupted *Baby (milk) teeth *Mobile teeth due to gum disease *Decayed tooth with enough visibility *Extra or malformed teeth *Fully and straight erupted wisdom *For orthodontic treatment

Tooth extraction- Is it painful? Some dental pains only leave while taking your tooth with them. Patients are scared of dental treatments, and we do not blame them because dental problems and the pain related to them are traumatizing. However, let us break this to you, dental treatment like tooth extraction is not painful, instead, it is the only option to relieve your pain that has been making you cry every night. Tooth extraction, whether surgical or non-surgical, requires anesthesia to numb the patient, after which the only thing they will feel during the procedure is some pressure, but no pain. If you have a fear of needles, discuss it with your dentist so they can address your concerns and help you through it. Once the tooth extraction is done, you can feel a little pain or discomfort over the next couple of days (more in surgical extraction) because the wound takes some time to heal. But worry not, after the procedure, the dentist will give you a set of instructions to follow and some medications so that you will not feel anything.

Tooth extraction- How long does it take? The relief after the dental pain is like the sunshine after heavy rain! A non-surgical procedure usually takes up to 30 minutes, while a surgical tooth extraction procedure can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, considering all the factors. Every patient is different, hence the duration of any tooth extraction varies from person to person and depends on certain factors such as: *The number of teeth to be extracted *The extent and severity of damage *Accessibility; erupted or impacted *The mode of extraction; surgical or non-surgical *And majorly, the patient’s cooperation, the fussier you are, the longer you are going to be on that dental seat.

Tooth extraction- What is the procedure? After taking the patient’s medical and dental history, doing the clinical and radiographic examination, the procedure for tooth extraction is as follows:

Non-surgical: *Check the vitals (sugar and blood pressure) of the patient if they have a medical history *Local anesthesia is injected around the tooth *Once the tooth is numb, the tooth is extracted using the dental instruments *After the tooth comes out, the dentist cleans the area and then applies a pressure pack so that it stops the bleeding and aids in healing *The patient is then given post-op (aftercare) instructions and medication

Surgical: *After checking the vitals (if necessary), the patient is anesthetized (general or local) *Once numb, a surgical cut or an incision is made on the gums around the tooth to gain access *A little amount of bone surrounding the tooth underneath is removed by drilling *The tooth is then extracted *The wound is cleaned, and sharp bony spicules are smoothened *The gums are stitched (sutured) back in place to stop the bleeding and aid in healing *Patient is given post-op instructions and medications *The patient is called after 5-7 days to remove the suture

Tooth extraction- The dos and don’ts after it The instructions given after any dental treatment are called the post-op instructions that are mandatory to follow to ensure that the wound after an extraction heals completely! After your tooth extraction, the dentist will advise you to: *Remove the pressure pack that is placed in the mouth 45 minutes after the extraction and eat something cold and soft (ice cream) *Take the medications as prescribed *Avoid spitting and drinking with a straw for 24-48 hours to not put pressure on the wound *Take a cold and soft diet and avoid hard and hot food for 48 hours *Eat from the opposite side for 2-3 days or until you feel comfortable *If severe pain or bleeding occurs, rush to your dentist

Just like bad relationships, you need to get rid of bad teeth too! The right dental treatment at the right time is crucial to maintain good oral hygiene and save yourself from the agony of dental pain; because once initiated, there’s no stopping the dental problems except for routine dental exams and checkups!