Tooth Extractions – What to Expect From the Process

When you need to have tooth extractions, you may be interested in learning more about what to expect from the process. About 85 percent of people will need to have their wisdom teeth removed in their lives, and approximately 16 percent of elderly adults have had all of their teeth extracted. These percentages show how common it is for teeth to be extracted in the United States. Fortunately, the procedure of having teeth extracted tends to go by quickly and painlessly. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect from your visit.

At the beginning of your visit, the dentist will numb or anesthetize the area around the tooth that needs to be pulled. This includes the bone and gum tissue. Once the area is numb enough, we will proceed with the extraction. First, we will use fine tools to work the tooth apart from its ligament. The ligament is the part of your tooth that holds it in the socket. We may need to work our way deeper and expand the socket. We do this with pressure from a back and forth motion that will gradually loosen the area. Once the socket is properly expanded, the tooth can be more easily removed.

We use an instrument called a dental elevator that looks similar to a small screwdriver. This tool will be wedged in between the ligament space and its surroundings. The elevator uses a twisting motion to rock the tooth, helping expand the socket. In most cases, the dental elevator will be able to completely remove the tooth. When the elevator needs more assistance, dental forceps can be used to complete tooth extractions. Dental or extraction forceps are small instruments that look and work in a similar fashion to pliers. We will use the forceps to get a better grasp on the tooth and allow us to firmly extract it.

Since the area being worked on will be anesthetized, the nerves surrounding your tooth will not transmit pain. The only sensation you will notice during tooth extractions is a slight pressure. If you begin to feel discomfort or tenderness at any point in time during your tooth extraction, notify us immediately. We can easily provide more anesthetic so you have the most comfortable extraction possible. Providing more numbing will not lengthen your procedure any noticeable amount of time.

After we have successfully removed your tooth, we will scrape away any lingering infected tissues, compress the socket to tighten the opening, irrigate the socket as necessary, and if needed, provide sutures. Sutures are not always necessary, and if they are used, they will most likely be dissolvable.

Tooth extractions generally go as explained above without any additional techniques. In some cases, wisdom teeth removal may be slightly more invasive and may take a little longer than having one tooth removed does. Regardless of how many teeth are removed, you should not experience discomfort, and you should heal quickly following the extraction. When you visit for your tooth extractions, we will go over any important guidelines you need to follow during your healing process.