Submitted by: Lawrence J. Reaves

Few people look forward to visiting their dentists. Fewer still relish the thought of having one or more teeth removed. But the procedure is often necessary in order to protect a person’s oral health.

Most extractions are performed to address advanced decay or severe trauma. If the decay or trauma is minimal, both can usually be treated. A dentist can clean out traces of decay in the affected tooth, and place a filling to prevent a recurrence. A cracked tooth can often be treated with the placement of a crown. When either circumstance is severe, however, these treatment measures (as well as others) are inadequate. The affected tooth must be extracted lest the decay or its structural instability compromise others.

Below, we’ll describe other reasons teeth are extracted. You’ll also learn how the procedure is performed, including what to expect afterward.

Additional Reasons Teeth Are Extracted

Aside from decay and trauma, one of the main reasons teeth are removed is because of infection. A tooth can become infected in several ways. For example, a person who is receiving chemotherapy may develop an infection when his or her immune system becomes severely impaired by the drugs. If radiotherapy is given to the patient, and directed toward his or her mouth and neck, infection may develop, making an extraction necessary.

Another reason to remove teeth is to make room in the patient’s mouth. Sometimes, the teeth are overly-large, and cause crowding. Other times, the person’s jaw may be smaller than normal, which also leads to crowding.

Many people have their wisdom teeth pulled during their teenage years. These teeth often become impacted, failing to erupt (i.e. emerge from the gumline) properly. This can cause both gum irritation, swelling, and infection.

Lastly, a lot of people need to have one or more teeth extracted when they receive braces. This is done to provide more room for the remaining teeth.

Preparing To Remove A Tooth

An extraction must be planned. Any given tooth can be removed in multiple ways, so the dentist will try to determine which approach offers the easiest route. This is particularly important prior to removing a person’s wisdom teeth due to their impaction.

X-rays are taken to display the position of the target tooth as well as its size and shape in relation to others. The images will show the alignment of the teeth and whether infection is present. If there is an infection, or the patient suffers from a weak immune system, the dentist can provide an antibiotic.

Sometimes, the information provided by the x-rays reveals an unforeseen challenge, which prompts the dentist to refer the patient to a specialist. Most times, however, doing so is unnecessary.

How A Tooth Is Extracted

Prior to a simple extraction, one in which the tooth can be observed above the gumline, a local anesthetic is applied to the area. Then, a dental instrument called an elevator is used to loosen the tooth. After it has been sufficiently loosened, the dentist removes it with forceps.

In cases where the tooth cannot be observed above the gumline, the dentist must peel back the gums over the extraction site. Once this has been done, forceps are used to remove the tooth, or remove a piece of it. Here too, a local anesthetic is given to numb the area. This type of procedure, called a surgical extraction, is often performed by a specialist.

What To Expect Following The Extraction

After a tooth has been removed, the area must be kept clean in order to prevent infection. The patient is provided with surgical gauze, and instructed to bite down gently on it. The gauze soaks up blood.

Simple extractions seldom result in pain. Surgical extractions, on the other hand, produce pain because of the cut made into the gums. The removal of an impacted tooth from under the gumline may also cause discomfort, especially if the tooth needed to be broken apart prior to its removal. In such cases, the dentist may prescribe pain medications to relieve the discomfort.

As noted earlier, a tooth extraction is often necessary to protect the patient’s oral health. The gap that is left can be filled with a dental implant to preserve, and perhaps even improve, the patient’s smile.

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