Tooth Extraction in Milton Keynes

An extraction can be required when a tooth is broken, severely decayed or too damaged to be restored.

When is a tooth extraction needed?

When a tooth is too damaged or too decayed to be saved, you may need to have the diseased tooth taken out.

Tooth extractions are relatively routine dental procedures. Tooth extraction can be required if a tooth is cracked down to the root or broken off at the gum line. A wisdom tooth that is too crowded, causing pain, swelling or bleeding can also be treated with an extraction.

What happens during an extraction?

Tooth extractions are performed under local anaesthetic to numb the area around the tooth. For complex or multiple extractions, sedation may also be used to make the procedure more comfortable.

When the tooth to be extracted is visible above the gum line, your dentist will use special instruments to loosen and then extract the tooth.

For wisdom teeth or teeth broken below the gum line, your dentist makes a small incision into your gum and then surgically removes the broken tooth or impacted wisdom tooth.

What happens after an extraction?

After an extraction, the gum will then be sutured to aid healing. Your dentist will then make sure that the healing process begins correctly.

A pack is typically used to apply pressure to the tooth socket to limit any bleeding. A blood clot should form in the gums at the extraction point. It is important not to dislodge the blood clot to avoid drying out the tooth socket.

Once the anaesthetic wears off, your mouth may feel a little sore for a day or two. Hot-water mouth baths can provide relief and aid healing, starting the day after the extraction.

At Abacus Dental in Milton Keynes we advise you not to rinse your mouth and to avoid hot drinks, smoking, using mouthwash or brushing the extraction site for the first 24 to 48 hours after the extraction.