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EXTRACTIONS/ORAL SURGERY
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You and your dentist may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons, which may include: severe decay, periodontal disease, infection, fractured teeth or roots, or impacted teeth (mainly wisdom teeth). Other reasons include poor tooth positioning in the mouth, or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

Sometimes the removal of a single tooth can lead to problems. Troubles related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint or the shifting of teeth may arise without proper treatment.

This is why your dentist will discuss with you alternatives to having a tooth extracted and/or the replacement of the extracted tooth. (Replacement of an extracted tootth can be done with a dental implant or bridge)

The Extraction Process
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At the time of the extraction, the doctor will anesthetize your tooth, jaw and gums to numb the pain receptor nerves. During the extraction, you will feel pressure from the doctor's process of gently rocking the tooth back and forth to widen the socket for removal. Once the tooth is loosened, it can be lifted and removed with forceps.

Sectioning A Tooth
Some teeth require sectioning. This is a very common procedure performed when a tooth is so firmly anchored in its socket or the root is curved and the socket can't expand enough to remove it. The doctor simply cuts the tooth into sections, and then removes each section at a time.

After Care
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Some bleeding may occur. Placing a piece of moist gauze over the empty tooth socket and biting down firmly for 45 minutes can control this.

An important aspect of the healing process is encouraging a blood clot to form at the extraction site. You must be careful not to dislodge the clot.

Avoid rinsing or spitting for 24 hours after the extraction. Also avoid hot liquids, hard or sticky foods, smoking and the use of a drinking straw. Be sure to chew food away from the extraction site.

Swelling is a normal part of the healing process. Wrapped ice packs can be applied to your face in a process of on for 10 minutes and off for 20 minutes. Repeat this cycle as you feel necessary for up to 24 hours.

If you experience pain, a non-prescription pain relief medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen is recommended.

Dry Socket
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Dry socket is an infection in your tooth socket after a tooth is extracted. The condition usually develops when a blood clot fails to form in the socket, or if the blood clot has been dislodged and the healing is significantly delayed.

Dry socket occurs in less than 5% of all tooth extractions. Following the above “after care instructions” will reduce the chances of developing dry socket.

The most common symptom of dry socket is a constant throbbing dull pain, which doesn’t appear until 3-4 days after the extraction. The pain can be moderate to severe and radiate from the extraction area. Dry socket may cause a bad taste or bad breath and the extraction site will appear dry. Contact your dentist if you have these symptoms. Your dentist will apply a medicated dressing to the dry socket to sooth the pain.

Brushing and Cleaning
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After the extraction, avoid brushing the teeth near the extraction site for one day. After that you can resume gentle cleaning. Avoid commercial mouth rinses, as they tend to irritate the site. Beginning 24 hours after the extraction you can rinse with salt water (1/2 teaspoon in a cup of water) after meals and before bed.

Healing
After a tooth has been extracted there will be a resulting hole in your jawbone where the tooth was positioned. In time, this will smooth and fill in with bone and gum tissue. This process will take many months. However after 1-2 weeks you should no longer notice anything bothersome.

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