Tooth Extractions – Aurora, IL

Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary

While preventing tooth loss is one of the primary goals of dentistry, severe damage or advanced decay can leave a tooth beyond saving, and leaving it in can put the patient at risk of dangerous secondary infections like sepsis. In some cases, it is necessary to remove teeth to make room for dentures or an orthodontic treatment. In other cases, the teeth fail to emerge properly, making them especially vulnerable to infection. Some children’s primary teeth won’t fall out on their own, causing difficulty for the emerging adult teeth. In any of these cases, tooth extraction may be necessary to preserve the patient’s oral and overall health and prevent future infections and injuries.

The Process of Removing a Tooth

The planning stages are crucial to a safe and successful extraction because they allow our dentist to determine the best and least invasive way to carry out the procedure. In any case, the process will be rendered painless through anesthetic treatments, and we offer dental sedation if you need any extra help sitting comfortably. To remove a tooth, one of our doctors will use an elevator to lift the troubled tooth partway out of its socket before grasping it with dental forceps. They will then gently rock it back and forth to free it from the connective tissue. However, it may be necessary to make incisions in the gum tissue for more complex extractions.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare

While most patients report feeling back to normal within a week of having a tooth extraction, there are a few guidelines to follow to ensure a smooth and speedy recovery. These include:

• Refrain from smoking, spitting, drinking with a straw, or brushing the surgical site for at least twenty-four hours, as these actions could dislodge the blood clot and cause a painful condition called dry socket.
• After twenty-four hours have passed, rinse your mouth with a mixture of 8 ounces of warm water and a half teaspoon of salt.
• Keeping your head elevated for the first few days will slightly reduce the blood pressure in your head, reducing the stress on the healing tissues.
• Enjoy soft or liquid foods like yogurt, soup, or scrambled eggs, and abstain from chewing over the extraction site until you are cleared to do so by your dentist.
• Take your prescribed medications or recommended over-the-counter pain relievers as instructed.
• Get plenty of rest, as strenuous exercise could stress the surgical site.

Dentists typically recommend replacing lost teeth as soon as possible to prevent dental injuries due to uneven chewing pressure, gum injuries due to chewing over exposed gum tissue, and alignment issues due to jawbone erosion. Restoring missing teeth after extraction can also allow you to enjoy a healthier and more varied diet and all the health benefits it can bring.