Tooth Extraction

Your teeth can withstand a lot. However, in some cases, a tooth should be extracted for the sake of your long and short-term oral health.

We will only ever consider removing a tooth once all other potential treatment possibilities have been explored.

When is tooth extraction recommended?

A few reasons why you might need to have a tooth taken out include:

• Your tooth is suffering from severe decay.
• Your tooth has become loose as a result of periodontal disease (the advanced stage of gum disease).
• You have a severe abscess around a tooth.
• Your teeth are crowded and there isn’t sufficient space in your jaw.
• Your wisdom teeth have become impacted.

How we can help

Before your procedure, you will be fully briefed on what to expect. If you’re feeling anxious about the process, we can offer sedation to help you feel fully relaxed and calm. Please remember that any question you have (no matter how small) is worth asking.

Step 1) Local anaesthetic

Local anaesthetic is administered to prevent you from feeling anything during the extraction process.

Step 2) Extraction

Your dentist will widen your tooth socket and gradually loosen the tooth so that it can be easily removed using forceps. A stitch may be placed into the empty socket to encourage the healing process.

Step 3) After the procedure

You will be given gauze to bite on to stop the bleeding that will accompany the removal of your tooth. Once this bleeding has stopped, you’re ready to go home.

FAQs

What is the recovery period like?

Most people find they can comfortably resume their normal activities on the same day as their extraction. Complex extractions may take a little longer to recover from. We will be able to let you know what to expect post-treatment once we have examined your tooth.

How do I prevent an extraction in the future?

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimise the possibility of future tooth extraction. Simply by improving your brushing and flossing habits and making changes to your diet, you can radically reduce your risk of decay and gum disease, both of which can create the need for teeth to be taken out.

Do you offer tooth replacement treatment?

Not only do we offer options such as crowns, dentures and bridges for replacing lost teeth, but we can also place dental implants for patients who are looking for an unmatched level of stability and tooth function.

Dental implants are the overwhelming winner when it comes to replacing lost teeth. Implants are surgically placed into the jawbone and take on the role of the lost tooth root.

The key benefit of this is that they can act like real teeth and support a custom-made, fixed restoration like a crown, bridge or dentures. This is hugely advantageous to patients, as you:

• Don’t have to put up with slipping and sliding removable dentures.
• Can feel safe in the knowledge that their jawbone remains healthy (thanks to the jawbone attaching itself to the implant).
• Won’t be as vulnerable to decay and gum disease.