Tooth Extraction / Tooth Removal

The Tooth extraction is a procedure where a tooth is taken out from its position in the jaw bone. One or more teeth may be removed for various reasons.

When Would You Need A Tooth Removal

Extraction may be necessary in a broken / badly decayed tooth or sometimes even a healthy tooth. Although permanent teeth are meant to last a lifetime, it may need to be removed for a number of reasons.

A tooth may be removed if it is badly damaged due to fracture / decay. A badly decayed or broken tooth that cannot be treated by root canal treatment may cause severe pain & lead to infection in the jaw bone.

Many people may have extra teeth called supernumerary teeth, that may need to be extracted. These extra teeth can cause crowding of teeth and cause problems in oral hygiene maintenance, leading to tooth decay, bad breath & gum infections.

In people whose milk/primary teeth do not fall on time and get retained into adulthood, such teeth will need to be removed.

Teeth may need to be removed prior to orthodontic treatment, to gain space for teeth alignment. The premolars are the teeth that are usually removed for this purpose. Other teeth may need to be removed depending on its position & treatment plan.

A permanent tooth may get impacted like the wisdom tooth. Wisdom tooth removal may be necessary in such cases. Other teeth may be partially / totally impacted within the jaw bone. In such cases, X rays are taken to identify its exact location and position. These teeth may need be surgically extracted.

Teeth may become loose due to infection of the gums and jaw bone as frequently seen in diabetic cases, called periodontitis. Care protocol for diabetes is available at the centre for disease control and prevention. These teeth have varying grades of mobility. Teeth with severe mobility that causes hindrance while chewing food may need to be removed. Tooth may also become loose in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. Such patients need to maintain a good oral hygiene and get teeth cleaning done at least once in six months.

In patients with compromised immune system the risk of infection is high and so infected tooth may be removed. Patients undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplant may also need tooth removal for the same reason.

Procedure For Removing A Tooth

A simple or surgical extraction procedure may be required depending on the position of the tooth in the jaw. Typically, a surgically extraction is necessary for an impacted tooth.

• Simple Extraction – In a simple extraction the tooth is totally visible in the mouth. Local anesthesia will numb the area and simple elevation of the tooth is sufficient for the teeth to be removed.
• Surgical Extraction – In cases that are more complex where a tooth is fractured of at the gum level or in impacted cases where only partial / no tooth is visible in the mouth, surgical extraction will be required. Local anesthesia may be administered. An incision is made into the gums to expose the tooth. Further bone cutting may be required in some cases. Sutures are placed after the extraction procedure. Healing of the surgical site usually takes place within a week.