Tooth Extraction

At Cathedral Dental, our kind and caring team will always do everything we can to avoid a tooth extraction, but in some cases, it is the preferred course of action.

Why might I need a tooth extraction?

There are a variety of reasons as to why we might recommend a tooth extraction, the first of which is a tooth – or teeth – that has been damaged or decayed beyond repair. Other reasons include impacted or infected wisdom teeth, an overcrowded mouth, or baby teeth that have yet to fall out by the time adult teeth begin to erupt.

What happens during a tooth extraction?

There are two types of tooth extraction, including ‘simple’ and ‘surgical’.

•  A simple tooth extraction is the more commonly performed treatment, and is the course of action taken when the tooth being removed is clearly visible above the gum line. During this type of treatment, we’ll first numb the area being treated, before carefully removing the tooth with forceps.
• A surgical extraction is needed when the tooth in question isn’t visible above the gum line. This may be due to having been broken in the course of an injury, or because it is impacted – i.e. partially or completely buried below the gum. During this treatment, local anaesthetic will be administered, and an incision will be made in the gums to help us remove the tooth. We will probably then suture the area, to help it in its healing.

What happens after?

We’ll let you know exactly how you should care for yourself after receiving a tooth extraction, depending on whether you have received a simple or surgical extraction. In all cases, however, we normally advise avoiding hot food and beverages until the anaesthetic has worn off, as well as not rinsing your mouth for 24 hours after. Once the anaesthetic has worn off, you’ll likely feel some pain at the area which is completely normal. You should be able to take over the counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with this.