While everyone heals differently, it is normal to experience some swelling and sensitivity after a tooth extraction. Keeping the site clean and taking mild pain medication (two tablets of Tylenol or 400mg of Ibuprofen every six hours) can reduce discomfort and help the area heal faster.

Your dentist may place a piece of gauze over the wound to stop bleeding and encourage the formation of a blood clot.

Preparation

There are a number of reasons why people need to have a tooth removed. Some of these include severe decay, infection, overcrowding, and impacted wisdom teeth. The procedure can be a little uncomfortable, but there are some things you can do to prepare for it. Taking some time to learn more about the procedure will help you feel less nervous.

It is important to inform your dentist about any medical conditions that could affect your treatment. Also, it is a good idea to arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home after the procedure if you will be receiving intravenous (IV) sedation.

After the procedure, patients should bite firmly and gently on the gauze pad placed by their dentist to reduce bleeding and promote clot formation in the tooth socket. The clot helps to speed up the healing process. It is also a good idea to apply an ice pack on the area to keep swelling down.

Anesthesia

Local anesthesia is an unsung hero in teeth extraction Apopka, ensuring a painless procedure for patients. It numbs the area of the mouth and surrounding bone, allowing the dentist to remove the damaged or infected tooth without causing pain. The dentist can also offer oral sedatives, nitrous oxide or intravenous conscious sedation for more complex extractions or to reduce anxiety.

The numbness from the anesthesia should wear off quickly, but you may feel some discomfort as the area heals. To help alleviate the pain, we recommend applying ice packs to your cheek and taking over-the-counter pain medication as prescribed by your dentist.

For more complicated teeth removals, the dentist might need to cut away a portion of the gum tissue or remove the entire tooth in pieces using dental forceps. They might also have to section a hard-to-remove wisdom tooth into multiple parts or use a surgical drill to break the tooth into smaller pieces for easier extraction.

Removal

Tooth extraction is sometimes necessary when a tooth cannot be repaired, especially if the root has been compromised by extensive decay or broken off below the gum line due to trauma. It’s also recommended if you have painful loose teeth from periodontal disease or an impacted wisdom tooth.

Once the extraction site is healed, a crown can be placed. In this procedure, any remaining decay is removed, the tooth is shaped and then an impression is made for fabrication of the crown. It typically takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown.

It’s important to follow our dentist’s recommendation for aftercare to avoid complications such as dry socket. Be sure to keep the site clean and eat only soft foods. Chewing can damage the blood clot that forms in the socket, which may cause pain and delay healing. It’s also important to sleep with your head elevated as much as possible, which helps reduce bleeding and swelling.

Post-operative care

The surgical wound will be closed with one or more sutures. It is very important to follow the post-operative care recommendations to help prevent complications such as infection and swelling. Patients should rinse their mouth with a prescription-strength salt water solution at least twice a day after surgery to keep the area clean. They should also avoid any physical activity that increases heart rate for the first few days after the procedure. This is to minimize the likelihood of dislodging the blood clot that forms in the empty tooth socket, which is called dry socket.

Swelling of the jaw and mouth is normal and will decrease after a few days. It is important to eat soft foods and not chew on the surgical site until it heals, which may take 2-3 days. If pain persists, contact the office for prescribed medication. Patients should not smoke or use a straw to drink as this can disturb the blood clot and cause bleeding from the teeth extraction Apopka site.