What is surgical tooth extraction, when does it make sense to have one or more teeth extracted, and why is it necessary?

In surgical extractions, a tooth is extracted in a complicated manner, when it cannot be extracted conventionally. In most cases, a skilled dentist can perform the treatment in a short period of time, and the recovery period after treatment is relatively short as well.

What is surgical tooth extraction? How do we know when to extract teeth and why? What are the next steps after the treatment is over?

The article goes into more detail about each of these topics.

The reasons for surgical tooth extraction

In the event that a normal extraction is not possible, the dentist will recommend a surgical extraction. There are several reasons why this may happen:

• The tooth is trapped inside the tissue and cannot be reached externally. In this case, it becomes necessary to make an incision in the gingiva itself in order to reach the tooth. Wisdom teeth, which develop in adulthood, are an example of incarcerated teeth. These teeth can easily develop infections, break, and become embedded in the tissues if they are not taken care of.

• Teeth that are infected and contaminated and need to be treated at the root.

• An injured or diseased tooth whose roots have grown crooked, making it impossible to extract it completely. A normal extraction involves pulling the tooth and its root, but if the roots are not normal, they will not come out. In order to do this, a surgical extraction must be performed, and the tooth must be extracted intact.

What are the steps involved in a surgical tooth extraction?

Extraction of a tooth is actually a very small operation. It is an invasive procedure that involves making an incision in the tissue and reaching the desired location.

Local anesthesia is administered before the incision is made so that the patient feels no pain. The area is well anesthetized with anesthetics. An up-to-date x-ray will be taken before the procedure so the dentist can get an accurate picture of the inside of the tooth. Having a clear vision of the root structure, the infection state, and the entire jaw structure will help the dentist to carry out the extraction process safely.

An extraction is completed by local suturing, which allows the incision to be kept clean. The patient feels nothing during the suture placement because it is done under anesthesia.

A few recommendations following a tooth extraction

The attending dentist’s instructions must be followed after surgical tooth extraction. After the numbing wears off, the area may be sore for a while. The dentist will recommend pain relievers, so it is important to have them on hand. Additionally, verifying what to do in case of bleeding is important.

In the case of light bleeding, it is not considered problematic because the area has not yet healed, but in the case of intense and massive bleeding, it is best to seek medical attention. Antibiotics may also be required in some cases to prevent future infections.