Extractions
A common general dentistry service, dental extractions are often a necessary procedure to remove one or more teeth from the mouth.
There are a number of reasons a tooth may need to be extracted: severe decay, infection, damage due to breakage, gum disease, impacted wisdom teeth, overcrowding or stubborn baby teeth that need to be removed to make room for the adult teeth to come in.
Simple vs. Surgical Extractions
A number of factors come into play when it comes to tooth extractions.
Simple extractions are most commonly done in the general office when dentists can easily remove the tooth and its roots under local anesthetic. These extractions do not require an incision or sutures, and with proper care, will heal quickly.
To make this process more comfortable, patients have the option to also use Nitrous Oxide (N2O), more commonly known as “laughing gas.” If a patient opts to use N2O during their appointment, oxygen will be administered after use so the patient will be able to resume normal living activities – including driving – following the procedure.
When it comes to more complicated cases, sometimes an oral surgeon is required to help remove troublesome teeth. Examples of these include:
- Cracked or broken teeth, often with roots left below the gum line,
- Teeth with entangled or curved roots
- Teeth that have become impacted or trapped below the gum line,
- Third molars, also known as wisdom teeth,
- Infection in the teeth or bone, and
- in the event of overly large sinuses, a simple extraction may become more complicated and require the specialized expertise of an oral surgeon.
Wise Up About Wisdom Teeth
Also known as third molars, the wisdom teeth are typically the last teeth to erupt and they usually arrive between the ages of 16 and 22.
For some people, wisdom teeth don’t affect the health or function of their mouths, and they can live the rest of their lives with their wisdom teeth in place. For most patients however, wisdom teeth can create a number of problems.
Issues that may arise include: swelling, pain, infection around the gum line, impaction, pressure and even crowding. In some cases, impacted and partially impacted wisdom teeth can lead to the formation of cysts and in the worst case, tumors. Left unchecked, these could destroy an entire section of the jaw.
Perhaps the simplest reason to consider having your wisdom teeth removed, is that they are difficult to clean and can easily become decayed.
