Tooth extraction can be nasty business. Thank goodness that those who we trust to do it have years of expertise and skill; your Dental Care Team! While surgical extraction of a tooth is obviously not a lot of fun, it does not necessarily mean it will be painful. There will be incisions, there will be blood, and there should be plenty of pain medication or local anesthesia to make it a non issue.
Why would you need Surgical Extraction?
There are several reasons why your dentist may recommend a surgical extraction. There is most likely something wrong with a tooth down to the root, and it simply has to go. This could be because...
1. Infection: Oftentimes there is an intense amount of bacteria stuck within the root of the tooth and this infection is causing all kinds of mayhem for the patient. There will be a ton of routine hygiene required, but in the meantime you might just have to remove the whole tooth.
2. Tooth Decay: Teeth need to be extracted, but due to the decay level the dentist does not think the entire tooth will be removed cleanly. In this event, a surgical extraction allows them to remove all the pieces of a tooth.
3. Broken Tooth: Same as above, but due to trauma, the tooth is already in pieces. In this event the tooth has to be removed strategically and safely, but in pieces.
4. Overcrowded Row: Sometimes the teeth in the row are crowded or overlapped. Potentially due to other conditions in development. In order to proceed safely,a surgical extraction might be the best action, so as to not disrupt all the other teeth, or push them further out of alignment.
Surgical Tooth Extraction
Typically your extraction will begin in a sterile environment and will of course be scheduled ahead of time. You will arrive and discuss the procedure with your doctor or the care team. You and your care team will discuss options for the pain. Usually there is a choice between local anesthesia, topical analgesic, or the patient may be completely put under. The procedure will be performed, and depending on how many teeth will be removed a certain number of incisions will be made.
Recovery
Afterwards there will be a scheduled recovery checkup, make sure you attend it. Along the way you will care for your wounds as you normally would. You will work to keep the area clean, and hopefully not agitate the healing process. In the modern era most stitches are made of biodegradable materials, so your checkups are completely focused on healing. Your hygienist and Dental care team will work with you to make sure you feel comfortable caring for your teeth after surgery.
Keeping the problem areas clean
You still have to brush, floss, and use mouthwash every day. If the pain is very bothersome, you will be fine to take over the counter pain medications, and in some cases your doctor can prescribe you higher level alternatives.