Extractions

You and Dr. Cabrera may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

The removal of a single tooth can lead to problems related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, and shifting teeth, which can have a major impact on your dental health.

To avoid these complications, in most cases Dr. Cabrera will discuss alternatives to extractions, as well as replacement of the extracted tooth.

The Extraction Process

At the time of extraction, the doctor will need to numb your tooth with a local anesthetic.

You feel the pressure without pain as the anesthetic has numbed the area.

After Extraction Home Care

Bleeding

Some bleeding may occur. Placing a piece of gauze over the empty tooth socket and biting down firmly for 1-2 hours can control this.

Blood clots that form in the empty socket

This is an important part of the healing process and you must be careful not to dislodge the clot.

  • Avoid rinsing or spitting for 24-48 hours after the extraction.
  • Avoid use of a straw, smoking or hot liquids for 5-7 days.

Pain and Medications

If you experience pain you may use non-prescription pain relief medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Eating

For most extractions make sure you do your chewing away from the extraction site. Stay away from hot liquids and alcoholic beverages for 24 hours. Avoid any foods that have a shell or sharp point; such as, peanuts, popcorn, or chips until the extraction site has healed.

Brushing and Cleaning

After the extraction, avoid brushing the teeth near the extraction site for one day. After that, you can resume gentle cleaning. Avoid commercial mouth rinses, as they tend to irritate the site. Beginning 2-3 days after the extraction you can gently rinse with warm salt water after meals and before bed.

Dry Socket

Dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form in the socket where the tooth has been extracted or the clot has been dislodged, and the healing is significantly delayed.

Following the post extraction instructions will reduce the chances of developing dry socket. Dry sockets manifest themselves as a dull throbbing pain which doesn’t appear until three or four days after the extraction. The pain can be moderate to severe and radiate from the extraction area. Dry socket may cause a bad taste or bad breath and the extraction site appears dry. Dr. Cabrera will apply a medicated dressing to the dry socket to soothe the pain.

Healing

After a tooth has been extracted, there will be a resulting hole where the tooth was. In time, this will smooth and fill in with bone. This process can take many weeks or months. However, after 1-2 weeks you should no longer notice any inconvenience