Straight Teeth in Less Time
Need A Dental Extraction Without General Anesthesia? Learn The Basics Of The Procedure
Lois Murray
If you have impacted wisdom teeth or a root canal that's failed, you may need to have a tooth extraction. You don't necessarily need to go to the hospital or be put under anesthesia to have this done -- many dental offices offer tooth extraction services. If you've never had a tooth extracted, you may be a little nervous. Read on to learn more about dental extractions and what to expect.
Preparation
Because your dentist will be working below the gum line, you will need to sign a consent for oral surgery. Once you've signed the form, the dental assistant may go over any questions or concerns. He or she will then place a topical ointment to numb your gums for an injection of anesthetic. The doctor will then come in and use a dental explorer and mirror to test areas to make sure you are getting numb. If at any time you have pain or have feeling in your gums, it's important to raise your hand and alert the dentist. He or she will stop immediately and apply more anesthetic.
Standard Extractions
The dentist will likely start with an instrument called an elevator. He or she will place the elevator between the tooth and gums to leverage it out of the socket. You shouldn't feel pain during this part of the procedure, but you may feel a lot of pressure as the dentist leverages the tooth. It's important to breathe through your nose during this time. Once the tooth is leveraged, the dentist will use forceps to rock the tooth and pull it completely out. During this time, the dental assistant may grab the tooth from the dentist with the high-volume evacuation tip.
Impacted Teeth
Impacted teeth are those that haven't erupted through the gum line. These kinds of teeth may be wedged sideways, and are otherwise a little harder to get out. Your dentist may use a scalpel to cut a flap of gum tissue away to access the tooth. He or she may also use a special elevator called a periosteal elevator. This elevator separates the periosteum (a thin membrane) from the bone and makes it easier to lift up the tooth.
Even if the tooth isn't completely impacted, it may still be difficult to get to—this is especially true with posterior teeth. Your dentist may use a high-speed handpiece and a surgical bur to section the tooth and then use forceps to remove the sections.
Cleaning the Site
Once the tooth is completely removed, the dentist will use a surgical curette (looks like a little spoon) to scoop out any infection or bone particles. He or she may use a root-tip pick, which is an instrument that can pull out any root tips that may have broken off of the tooth. Lastly, the dental assistant will rinse the area clean and have you bite down on damp gauze.
If the dentist cut into gum tissue, he or she will then use a locking hemostat (looks like scissors) to apply sutures. If the sutures are made of silk, they cannot be absorbed by the body, so you'll have to come back in and have the dentist clip the knotted sutures after the wound has healed. Your dentist or dental assistant will then go over post-operative instructions with you.
For more information on extractions and how to prepare for this procedure, contact a dentist in your local area.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.