How Painful Is Surgical Extraction?
Having a tooth extracted is a relatively easy process, depending on the location and state of the tooth. A tooth that is fully erupted above the gum line can be extracted using a simple extraction technique which is loosening the tooth from the socket and lifting it out. A tooth that is impacted below the gum line or within the jawbone will require a surgical extraction in which case the doctor will need to make an incision in the gum tissue and possibly remove a fragment of bone to access the tooth. A surgical extraction may also be required for a tooth that has broken at the gum line.
Tooth extraction is a very common procedure and it may be a relief to know that it is not an incredibly painful experience. Patients may need to have an extraction for many reasons including extensive decay, trauma, gum disease, or in preparation for orthodontic treatment. Wisdom teeth are the most common extraction that adolescent and adult patients experience. Most people do not have enough room to accommodate four extra molars so they are often removed. Wisdom teeth almost always require surgical extraction because they develop perpendicular to the rest of our teeth and cannot make the necessary rotation to push up through the gum line.
Surgical Extraction Procedure
Most surgical extractions can be performed using local anesthetic which does not require the patient to be asleep! The doctor will numb the area and then proceed with an incision in the gum tissue. In the case of a bony impaction, a piece of jawbone may need to be removed for the doctor to access the tooth. Once the tooth is extracted, the doctor will place a couple of stitches and send you home to heal.
How painful is a surgical extraction?
It is normal to experience some discomfort after the anesthesia wears off. The actual procedure does not hurt because you are completely numb and should not feel anything, aside from a minor pinch when the anesthetic is administered. Immediately following your surgery, your doctor may prescribe pain medication to get you through the first few days but after that, any discomfort you feel should be manageable with over-the-counter pain medication. spoon
He will likely also experience a little bleeding and swelling at the extraction site, both of which will subside within a few days. Any postoperative instructions that your doctor provides should be followed to the letter to avoid unnecessary complications or infection.
One of the postoperative instructions that you will want to pay close attention to is avoiding sucking, as with a straw or cigarette. The sucking action can cause a dry socket which is a very painful complication resulting when the blood clot that forms over the extraction site becomes dislodged. When the blood clot is lost, the underlying bone and nerves are exposed to air and anything that you eat or drink. And while it is important that you stick to a soft food diet, don't drink a smoothie through a straw!
If you anticipate having a tooth surgically extracted, your dentist can help you understand what to expect after the extraction. The pain is relative, you know what is too much for you to handle and if you find yourself in extreme discomfort after three or four days, you may have developed an infection or other complication which should be addressed by your doctor as soon as possible.