Extraction
At times, when you’ve got to say goodbye to an old friend you just got to do it 😢
Dental extractions (or known as "taking your tooth out")
Dental extractions is the act of having your tooth taken out. It is a relatively straightforward procedure which can done within one appointment.
How is it achieved?
We use local anaesthetics numb the area near your tooth, so you feel no pain while it’s been removed, you'll be awake during the procedure, and the need for surgery depends on the tooth's condition and nerve proximity, often requiring an x-ray evaluation for personalized care.
Why do I need to have my wisdom tooth taken out?
Here are some reasons:
Impacting wisdom tooth.
’Extra’ tooth (supernumary tooth) that is not part of the normal tooth development.
Teeth that are broken down (due to decay or trauma) that it will be more beneficial to have it taken out.
Severe infections or decay of the tooth.
Orthodontic purposes (such as creating space so that the rest of your tooth can be properly aligned).
Fractured tooth
Gum disease in the advanced stage (where the supporting bone and tissues cannot hold the tooth any longer)
What are some of my treatment options after I have my tooth taken out?
Here is a general decision flow chart of what happens when your tooth is broken down, which also involves taking your tooth out (click the flow chart to enlarge it on mobile):
For those who like read about pros and cons in detail:
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+ Fixed to your existing bone.
+ The closest thing to +having your original tooth.
+ Long term lifespan
+ High success rate
+ Prevents and/or reduces bone resorption.
- Cost
- Involvement of multiple dentists and dental specialists
- Time: takes weeks and months to plan and execute - like building a house from scratch!
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+ Fixed to the adjacent teeth.
+ A very good alternative to dental implants
- The need to prepare and drill the adjacent teeth (big disadvantage if the tooth had never had a filling)
- Not suitable if you have multiple large gaps to fill
- Will not prevent bone resorption (can result from the tooth being replaced under the bridge to have large gaps and food trap).
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Note: Option limited to upper arch only!
+ Relative lower cost compared to dental implants.
+ Medium term solution
+ Fixed to the adjacent tooth after conservative preparation.
- Limited to the upper front tooth only - Will not prevent bone resorption - There will be a chance of debonding over time (i.e. the bridge unit comes off) but on the plus side it can be rebonded easily
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+ Relatively quick to make.
+ Conservative preparation of the existing tooth in order to make the denture stay in.
+ Good, economical option to fill in multiple gaps in your teeth.
+ Very adaptable to future changes (i.e. if you're upgrading to an implant)
- Will not prevent bone resorption
- Because of this, the denture will need to be serviced at least once every 6 months in order to allow the base of the denture to match the change in the bone height.
- Not fixed in the mouth
- Needs to be removed every night
- Good oral hygiene is a must, otherwise the denture can cause the other tooth that is holding it to loosen and exacerbate gum diseases.
- Potential poor tolerance due to people who have oversensitive gag-reflexes
- May reduce your taste sensations - May reduce your ability to bite on foods compared to having natural teeth.
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+ Viable choice due to the costs of dental treatment
- The alveolar bone where the tooth has been taken will slowly resorb over time once the tooth is lost.
- Because of the above problem, it can make future replacement of your tooth more complex (adding to the cost of treatment)
- Potential aesthetic concern.
- Potential for drifting, rotation and over-eruption of adjacent teeth into the gap over time
- Possible gum problems in the future due to the above scenario
Further information about extractions
A lighthearted take from the Awkward Yeti about wisdom teeth:
Here is Ron Swanson’s take on extractions: