Does that tooth need to come out?
It’s not something any dentist likes to end up doing, but sometimes we have to remove teeth. Somehow it feels like an admission of defeat on our part that we have not been able to save a tooth, and we never do it lightly here at Old Windsor Dental Practice.
However, there sometimes comes a point that we have filled, and crowned, and root canaled a tooth as much as we can and it still continues to fail. Sometimes there has been so much tooth material removed that the shell of the tooth can no longer withstand the powerful forces produced by chewing. Sometimes, despite our best effort, gum disease has become so far advanced that the tooth is so loose in its socket that it’s going to fall out soon anyway. Sometimes, it’s a wisdom tooth that is trying to come through at the wrong angle and is starting to affect the other teeth around it or has become infected. Whatever the reason, tooth extraction is still very much a part of our repertoire of treatments in general dentistry in Berkshire.
What to expect when you have an extraction
- We like to know exactly what’s going on under the gum, so we may well take an x-ray to get the information;
- We like you to be comfortable, so we will completely numb the area with a local anaesthetic. If you are very anxious (and who wouldn’t be?), we can also offer you sedation to relax you;
- We will very carefully and gently extract your tooth.
Afterwards, you can expect there to be some swelling and tenderness that can go on for a few days. Pain and bleeding are the two main things to watch out for.
Painkillers
You can use over-the-counter painkillers. Ibuprofen is a good choice. Don’t take aspirin as this can make the wound bleed.
Bleeding
Because the mouth is a wet area, you are not going to form a scab, but you will get a clot that it’s important to keep in place. Bleeding looks a lot worse than it is because your saliva increases the amount of liquid that comes out.
