Tooth extraction is simply the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. Now I know that might sound painful and terrifying, but let’s take a closer look and see what it’s all about. This surgery main use is if a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, your dentist will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. However, sometimes there’s too much damage for the tooth to be repaired and it must be extracted. In this case, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it can’t be saved, even with what’s called a bone replacement surgery (bone graft).
Other reasons for tooth extraction surgery involve:
- Extra teeth that block other teeth from coming in naturally.
- Baby teeth that don’t fall out in time to allow the permanent teeth to come in.
- Brace settings may need teeth extracted to create room for the teeth that are being moved into place.
- Receiving cancer drugs may develop infected teeth because these drugs weaken the immune system. Infected teeth may need to be extracted.
- Wisdom teeth are often extracted either before or after they come in.
Let’s dig deeper. Did you know there are two types of extractions? First, a simple extraction is performed on a tooth that can be well seen in the mouth. Simple extractions are something general dentists commonly do. During a simple extraction, the dentist loosens the tooth with an instrument called an elevator. Then the dentist uses an instrument called forceps to actually remove the tooth.
But a surgical extraction is a far more complex procedure. It is done if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not come into the mouth yet. Surgical extractions commonly are done by experienced oral surgeons. However, they are also performed by general dentists as well. The doctor makes a small incision into the gum around the tooth in question. Sometimes it may be necessary to remove some of the bone around the tooth or to cut the tooth in half in order to extract it.