Travel To Health - A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth

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                A. Extraction
                   

A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons. Tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration is the most frequent indication for extraction of teeth. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely performed, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.Extractions are often categorized as "simple" or "surgical". Simple extractions are performed on teeth that are visible in the mouth, usually under local anaesthetic, and require only the use of instruments to elevate and/or grasp the visible portion of the tooth. Typically the tooth is lifted using an elevator, and subsequently using dental forceps, rocked back and forth until the periodontal ligament has been sufficiently broken and the supporting alveolar bone has been adequately widened to make the tooth loose enough to remove. Surgical extractions involve the removal of teeth that cannot be easily accessed, either because they have broken under the gum line or because they have not erupted fully. In a surgical extraction the doctor may elevate the soft tissues covering the tooth and bone and may also remove some of the overlying and/or surrounding bone tissue with a drill or osteotome. Frequently, the tooth may be split into multiple pieces to facilitate its removal.Immediate post-operative advice for tooth extractions (while you are still in the dental office):• Sit still for a few minutes immediately after the appointment. You want to be sure that a blood clot has formed before you get up and around, because you could provoke bleeding. The amount of time you need to sit still varies with the type. If this was a baby tooth that was close to coming out on its own, you may only need one or two minutes of sitting still. For the simple removal of an adult tooth, you may need to sit for about ten minutes. For a surgical extraction in which stitches were necessary, it could be half an hour or longer. This amount of time could be longer if you tend to bleed longer than most people. • You will be biting on gauze while you are waiting. This keeps pressure on the site and assists in stopping the bleeding.Advices on what to do after you leave the dental office:• After you leave the office, you should be somewhat still, without strenuous activity, for about two hours. Don’t suck or spit, as this will inhibit the formation of a blood clot. • Some persistent bleeding is normal. Expect your saliva to be tinged with blood for several hours. • However, if you notice thick bleeding with dark red blood clots, you need to apply more pressure to the site. Most dental offices give you a pack of gauze in case this occurs. If you don’t have gauze, use a paper towel. Wad it up so it puts pressure directly on the site, and bite on it for a good forty-five minutes. If the bleeding still hasn’t stopped, repeat this. If it still doesn’t stop, call the dentist or go to the hospital emergency room. • For pain, after a simple extraction, you should be able to just ask your dentist what you can take.• Apply ice compression on the surgical site for 24 hours with the intervals of 10 minutes of application for every 30 minutes.• Avoid eating very hot, spicy and tiny particles (like rice, etc.)• Avoid alcohol for a few days. Never use an ASPRIN after any type of surgical treatment.