Tooth Extraction
At Mount Druitt Dental, we prefer to save teeth rather than remove them. However, sometimes an extraction is the best option.
Tooth extraction involves removing a decayed, damaged or loosened tooth from its socket in the bone. Only a professional dentist who specialises in mouth surgery can extract a tooth.
If you do need an extraction, our dentists will discuss the options with you. They will fully explain any procedure to you beforehand, and then give you home care instruction and tips to minimise any discomfort afterwards.
Our aim is to help you heal as quickly as possible.
When you need a tooth removed
If you have a damaged, broken or decayed tooth, your dentist will first try to repair it with a filling, crown or other suitable treatment.
However, if the tooth is so severely decayed or abscessed that no other treatment will cure the infection, extraction is the only option.
There are also other reasons why someone might need a tooth removed:
- Extra teeth/tooth blocking other teeth from coming in.
- Their baby teeth aren’t falling out to allow permanent teeth to come in.
- Getting braces and need to create room for the teeth moving into place.
- They are receiving cancer treatment and have developed a serious tooth infection, as the drugs have weakened their immune system.
- You have developed a serious tooth infection after an organ transplant.
- They have wisdom teeth that are decayed or infected, or are causing pain.
Wisdom tooth extraction
Wisdom teeth removal one of our most common tooth procedures at Mount Druitt Dental.
Your wisdom teeth (i.e. the third molars) are located at the back of your mouth. They usually come in between the ages of 17 and 25, or even later. Some people never get their wisdom teeth at all.
There are a few reasons why wisdom teeth need extracting. One is that they’re difficult to reach and clean with a toothbrush, so they can get infected.
Another is that a smaller jaw may not fit all 32 teeth. So the final wisdom teeth come in at an angle, moving the other teeth and causing pain or discomfort. This can also cause gum infection, tooth decay or damage, and even jaw cysts.
Wisdom teeth extraction can be more complicated than regular extraction. You may need stitches, and may experience swelling and bleeding for a few days. However, some paracetamol or ibuprofen will usually help relieve the pain.
The process..
Before any tooth is extracted, your dentist will offer you a local anaesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed.
We can also use a general anaesthetic, especially if we’re removing more than one tooth.
After your treatment, we can discuss options like bridges and dentures to replace the missing tooth or teeth.
