Extraction is the painless removal of a complete tooth or the tooth root with minimum damage to adjoining structures.
How to Prepare for Oral Surgery/minor surgeries?
Oral surgery can go a lot easier if you put in a little preparation. If you know what to expect ahead of time, you may be more at ease about what you need to have done. Your process should start long before you walk in for your appointment.
Schedule time with your dentist or oral surgeon to make sure you understand the reasons for your procedure. Find out the risks and benefits of what you’re having done. Bring questions to ask, too.
Ask a friend or family member to give you a ride. If you drive in yourself, ask the doctor’s office if it’s possible for you to wait there until it’s OK to drive.
Have a light meal within 3-4 hours before the procedure. Avoid reporting to the clinic fasting or after a heavy meal.
Wear short/ loose sleeves if possible. It’ll help us take your vital signs, give you your IV, or put blood pressure cuffs on you when required.
Have a container with you to store dentures, partial plates, or removable bridgework while the procedure is being performed.
On the big day, arrive at least 20 minutes early. This will give you time to complete any last-minute paperwork. You’ll also have a chance to relax before your surgery happens.
Any history of taking medicines, surgeries done in the past or if you are allergic to any medicines, blood thinners etc, should be addressed at the very first time to the doctor which will make the treatment smooth and simple.
Extraction is a painless procedure in the majority of cases. This is done by injecting a local anaesthetic solution around the tooth being extracted, which blocks all the pain while preserving the other sensations. The numbness may stay for 1-2 hours after which it gradually recedes
Stitches are not needed for the majority of extractions which are straightforward. But sometimes when the tooth is difficult to remove(gums around the teeth need to be incised &opened) or multiple teeth are removed in one sitting, stitches may be required.
Removal of teeth in no case affects the vision of the person and is not related to whether an upper or lower tooth is being extracted.
Infection from the tooth may start spreading into the surrounding bone and gums. The bacteria may multiply rapidly from there to form an acute infection causing swelling, fever, severe pain, difficulty in opening the mouth, formation of extraoral sinus with pus discharge, etc. This infection, if left untreated, may progress onto deeper tissues of the head and neck and become life-threatening in severe cases.
Pain, infection, difficulty in opening the mouth, halitosis or bad breath, dry socket, etc are possible complications. But these are very rare when the procedure is done properly.
When most of the visible area of the tooth is gone or when a root is fractured, the rest of the tooth will be taken out by creating a space between the tooth and the bone. This is called open extraction. This procedure will ensure proper healing of the removed site.
Sometimes the underlying medical condition may not be fit for removal of the tooth so that a medical practitioner will modify the medications Eg; blood thinners so that a simple and clean procedure can be given to ensure proper healing.
As a part of the fixed orthodontic treatment, for therapeutic purpose extraction should be done to correct the alignment issues of the teeth. By doing this any dental deformities can be corrected like forwardly placed teeth, tilted tooth etc.
At FMS, every procedure is being performed by a specialist and particularly a SPECIALIST ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON will perform extractions, minor and major surgical procedures.
Tips for Smooth Recovery from Oral Surgery
Now that you made it through your oral surgery, you’ll want to take care of your mouth to ensure a quick and easy recovery.
The risk factor of immediate crown in single implants is slightly higher compared to multiple implants. As such, in very few cases of single implants, we may place a temporary crown for 2-3 months and the permanent ceramic crown is then replaced later.
It might be the only time your dentist will tell you not to brush your teeth, but after surgery, your mouth will be too sensitive for regular oral hygiene. So don’t brush your teeth or even use mouthwash for 24 hours. You should rinse with salt water every 2 hours. This will reduce your risk of infection.
Your face might swell or have bruises. This is normal. For the first 4-5 hours, apply ice to your jaw for 30 minutes, remove it for 15 minutes, then do it again. The swelling should lessen after 2 or 3 days. If it gets worse, you have a fever, or you notice pus, call your doctor or oral surgeon right away.
You might have some bleeding for the first day or so after surgery. Gently bite on folded wet gauze to help slow the flow. If the bleeding continues for more than 24 hours or is so heavy that the gauze needs to be changed more often, call your dentist or oral surgeon.
You don’t want to disturb the blood clot. It’s trying to heal the wounds in your mouth. So don’t use a straw, drink alcoholic or carbonated beverages, or smoke for at least 5 days after your procedure. Try not to spit too much, either.
Cool, soft foods after surgery are good. Stay away from foods that are too hot, cold, tough, chewy, or spicy.
At first, you might need help managing the pain. You will be given a prescription for that. Your pain should ease within 48-72 hours.
Look for infection, less feeling in your lower lip, chin, or tongue, or bruises on your jaw, or where you had your IV. You may have an allergic reaction too. Call your dentist right away if any of these things happen to you.
Make sure to keep all of your post-surgery follow-up appointments to make sure you’re healing well. Follow all your dentist’s instructions to avoid any complications.
