Extractions

Teeth may need to be removed if they are deemed unsalvageable by your dentist. The tooth extraction procedure should not be painful. Feeling pressure during the procedure is normal and unpreventable. If you have a bad infection and your Westfund dentist cannot achieve profound anaesthesia they will not proceed and may give you a course of antibiotics to take before trying again.

Teeth may need removing due to:

• Infections and you have opted against root canal treatment
• Trauma
• Gum disease
• Needing to make space for orthodontic treatment
• Loss of too much tooth structure whereby a filling or a crown is no longer possible

There are two types of extractions:

• Simple: If the tooth is above the gum and can be removed intact, it can be removed at the dental practice.
• Surgical: A tooth may need to be surgically removed if it is badly broken or partially buried. This may involve making a cut in the gum and removing some bone in order to access the tooth – this is most common with wisdom tooth removal. Teeth are often removed in separate pieces when they are badly broken. Dissolvable sutures are typically placed afterwards to help close the gum back together.