Tooth Extraction
Tooth Extraction Dentist in San Jose and Sunnyvale
As the name suggests, tooth extraction is simply the removal of a tooth from its socket in the jaw. There could be many reasons to get your tooth extracted. These could include a simple wisdom tooth extraction, extraction of a damaged or infected tooth that can’t be fixed by a filling or multiple teeth popping up at the same place in your jawbone.
What is the procedure?
There are two basic types of tooth extractions depending on your jaw structure and the reason for the extraction. These are simple extraction and surgical extraction.
A simple extraction is done on a tooth that is visible on the mouth. Any general dentist can perform this procedure. The procedure, as the name suggests is very straightforward. The dentist loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevated and then uses forceps to remove the tooth.
In a surgical extraction, the tooth may have been broken off the gum line or is hidden in the jaw. It is the more complex of the two procedures and is mostly done by oral surgeons. In this, the doctor makes small incisions into your gum and then removes the tooth. If necessary, the bone around the tooth is also removed or the tooth is cut in half to remove it.
What should you do after the extraction?
Most tooth extractions tend to go without any complications. The recovery time is usually short, but depending on the severity of the damage the tooth had sustained, it could take up to a week for the gums to finally relax. There might be a small amount of bleeding in the first 24 hours but it should subside fairly quickly. Do not disturb the clot that forms around the wound.
Your doctor may prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatories for 3 to 4 days. To reduce the swelling, you can put ice packs on your face in cycles of 20 minutes, removing them for 20 minutes.
In case you experience excessive pain or the gum doesn’t heal, you should consult your dental practitioner as soon as possible.
Dr. Rita Mitbavkar has a state-of-the-art dental practice, UniSmile Dental, in Sunnyvale and San Jose, California. Give us a call at 408-226-1600 or 408-732-5300 to discuss your tooth extraction needs!
