When you need to have a tooth removed, whether it is due to decay or due to the wearing of an upcoming oral brace, it can be somewhat daunting.
Extractions (despite them seeming worrying) are routine in the world of dentistry and our team in Whanganui perform them every day, so there is nothing to worry about when you come to us!
When you come to our surgery, our general dentist in Whanganui New Zealand will take X-Rays and perform a detailed assessment of the offending tooth or teeth, to see if they can be saved using a crown or other restorative technique. Should we need to go ahead with an extraction, we will answer any questions you may have about the process and ask you questions about your general health, relating to blood-clotting disorders or medications which can complicate the process.
But what are the different types of dental extraction offered by our general dentist in Whanganui New Zealand and how do we prevent secondary issues from occurring? Read on to find out!
How do we perform extractions?
With extractions, our general dentist in Whanganui New Zealand will take X-Rays and will discuss the procedure with you, answering any questions that you may have.
Once you are in the chair, we will numb your mouth sufficiently and will take breaks if needed during the process. If you are a nervous patient, talk to our team about sedation options.
Simple extraction
As you may have guessed from the title, a simple dental extraction is simple and involves very little effort from our team. Simple extractions are usually performed on teeth being removed for orthodontic procedures or on teeth that have rotten but are still visible above the gum line.
Depending on your age and other factors, such as incidence of gum disease, we may still need to stitch the extraction site to prevent secondary complications.
Surgical extraction
A surgical extraction involves a more, well, surgical approach to removing teeth, such as incisions around the area.
This is more common if the tooth has rotted extensively, is broken or in the cases of wisdom teeth if it is impacting on a surrounding tooth.
Wisdom teeth
For most wisdom tooth extractions, the procedure involves a surgical extraction.
This will probably involve incisions being made around the tooth if it has erupted or, if it is impacted, it can be a bit more intensive.
However, as there is a higher incidence of dry socket with wisdom teeth extractions, we will always close the extraction site to help your mouth to heal and to prevent infections.
Aftercare
Once the tooth is out, it is time to relax!
Use over the counter pain medication if needed and avoid any strenuous activity for at least 24 hours. If needed, sleep with your head slightly elevated and avoid brushing your teeth too vigorously.
If you are worried about the discomfort following an extraction, or if there is a foul odour or taste, come back and see our team.
DISCLAIMER
All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.