Do You Need A Tooth Extraction At Abbey Road Dental? What To Expect….
Professional tooth removal and replacement options in St John’s Wood.
If you’re facing a dental extraction, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Lots of people need to go through this procedure at least once in their life, and without really knowing what it involves, it can be a scary prospect.
To help you feel at ease, we want to let you know exactly what to expect so you can feel assured that it won’t be quite as scary as you might think.
Why Extractions Sometimes Need To Happen
Tooth extractions need to happen for a number of reasons including:
- Dental decay to the extent the tooth beneath the gum line cannot be saved
- An abscess under the gum line that means the tooth cannot be saved
- Advanced gum disease (periodontitis)
- To make room for teeth to move, as with straightening
- If teeth are consistently causing pain and issues (this most commonly happens with wisdom teeth)
- If dental repair like fillings and crowns have failed and the tooth needs to come out
- Broken teeth which are unable to be repaired following an accident
Every individual reason for extraction is different depending on the person, and we treat every case as such. That means you’ll be given an individual treatment plan to suit your needs, including suggestions for restoration moving forward.
What To Expect During The Extraction Process
There are two main types of extraction. One type is simple extraction which is where you come to Abbey Road Dental, you have a local aesthetic and the dentist quickly and gently removes the affected tooth. You won’t feel anything but a bit of pressure in the area as the tooth is removed using special dental tools made especially for this purpose.
With surgical extraction you can have local anaesthetic or sedation depending on your individual circumstances or needs. Once you are fully anaesthetised you may have to have your gums cut, or bone removed before the tooth is extracted. Again you won’t feel anything, and if you are receive sedation, you may not even remember the procedure. If you receive treatment in hospital, general anaesthetic can be used for more complex cases.
Extraction Recovery
Once you have a tooth extracted you can usually go home right away, unless there is a need for you to stay in. This is usually when the procedure has been complex and perhaps part of plastic surgery following an accident, or as part of jaw or cancer-related procedures.
In other straight-forward procedures you will go home and sometimes be prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection. For a couple of days you might feel sore, you might have some bruising, and you might generally feel a little bit under the weather, but not overwhelmingly so. There are some extra things you can do to aid recovery including:
- Taking all medication you are prescribed as directed and until you have finished the whole course
- Avoiding smoking
- Resting as much as you can
- Avoiding the use of straws
- Avoiding very hot drinks and food
- Avoiding mouth rinsing
You will get more detailed aftercare information from Abbey Road Dental, or from the hospital depending on where you have your tooth extraction.
If you do start to get a lot of pain, swelling or bleeding following extraction it is important you seek immediate help. We are always here if you need advice, or call 111 for dental emergencies out of hours. If you are having an extreme response to an extraction after returning home, do go to A & E for emergency care.
Replacing Missing Teeth
We will also discuss dental restoration with you when an extraction is planned. This is particularly important if the teeth at the front of the mouth are being removed. Of course it is your personal choice as to whether or not you replace your missing teeth, but there are many good reasons to consider it including:
- Missing teeth can cause your other teeth to crowd and move, making dental hygiene difficult
- Eating, speaking and chewing can be hard with multiple missing teeth
- There are multiple options for replacing missing teeth, many of which are affordable
- The confidence of a full smile can be really important when it comes to our confidence
- If you want to avoid unnatural feeling tooth replacement, dental implants are a natural option
We will discuss all the options with you so that you feel fully informed. Crowns, bridges and dentures have all come a long way when it comes to comfort and aesthetics. We can discuss seamlessly going from extraction to tooth replacement with you, so you know there is a comprehensive plan in place for replacing the teeth you are having removed.
Teeth Implants At Abbey Road Dental
Dental implants are the most innovative and natural replacement for missing teeth available. They replace your tooth root by bonding with your jawbone. This preserves your jaw and its shape, which is really important when it comes to avoiding the ageing associated with tooth loss. This strong anchor then works well to hold a dental prosthetic which looks exactly like a real tooth, and to all intents and purposes, feels like one too.
Implants can be used to replace one, or several missing teeth. Here at Abbey Road Dental we offer individual implants, All On 4 treatment, implant supported bridges and implant supported dentures. If this is something you are interested in as a restorative treatment following extraction, please get in touch for a consultation.
What To Do If You Think You Need An Extraction
Some extractions are suggested following a routine checkup at our NW8 clinic and others follow an emergency appointment following an infection. If you notice pain or wobbliness with a tooth or teeth between appointments, please do get in touch. The quicker we diagnose the problem, the best chance you have of saving the tooth. If it does need extracting, we can get that done quickly to avoid infection and further pain. You can reach us on 02076241603 to discuss the problem and make an appointment with our experienced team.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, you can reach us on the above number during working hours. Otherwise please call NHS 111 to get an appointment with your nearest emergency dentist.