Everything You Need To Know About Tooth Extractions

Getting a tooth extracted is never fun, but occasionally it has to be done in order to prevent more serious dental health issues from taking hold.

There are a variety of reasons why your dentist may recommend a tooth extraction. One of the most common extractions we recommend and perform here at Pier Dental Centre are wisdom teeth extractions however, sometimes it becomes necessary to extract regular teeth too.

Whether it’s because the tooth has become too decayed to repair, or due to a chip or crack forming in the tooth following a dental emergency, sometimes, the best option in the long term is to extract the tooth and replace it with an implant.

With modern day dental procedures and proper aftercare and pain management, pain and discomfort following a tooth extraction can be minimal.

Most patients that we treat for extractions here at Pier Dental Centre are often surprised to hear that there is usually no pain at all in the first 24-48 hours after the extraction.

Prior to extracting the affected tooth, we use a local anesthetic to numb the area, and you will usually find that this helps to alleviate almost all of the pain in the immediate hours after the procedure.

After that time, we always recommend that patients continue with a preemptive pain medication routine for 5-7 days after the procedure. Over-the-counter painkillers are usually sufficient enough and there is rarely a need for patients to require anything stronger.

Patients who do experience some pain and discomfort usually start to feel the pain more around 48 hours after the procedure. By this point the anesthetic has completely worn off and the tissues in the gums will be swelling slightly as part of the body’s natural healing process.

The pain medication should help to keep the swelling under control, but it is normal to experience a low level of pain and discomfort for a few days beginning around 48 hours after treatment.

If pain becomes severe or continues beyond 7 days, contact your dentist for a consultation.

Either way, whether you are in pain or not, a good dentist will always want to have a follow up appointment with you a week after the extraction to check on how the gum is healing. You will also have some stitches that will need to be removed at this point if your dentist is satisfied with how your gums are healing.

As we mentioned above, pain is usually very minimal in the 24 – 48 hours after the extraction, and you should be able to go about your day to day life as normal.

You can drive, and in most cases, return straight to work.

You should avoid heavy lifting or anything that might put unnecessary strain on your jaw while it heals, and you should of course be cautious operating machinery whilst taking pain medications.

In the first 24 hours after the extraction, we usually recommend patients to ice the area for 20 minutes on and off whenever they can, as this will help to minimize the swelling. You may also notice some slurring in your speech in the hours right after the procedure as you will still be under the effects of the anesthetic, so if you work in a job where communication is paramount then you may want to consider taking the day to rest and recover.

Our expert dentists have performed hundreds of successful extractions over the years and we pride ourselves on offering the highest possible standards of patient care. To book your appointment, contact Pier Dental Centre today at 604-986-9161.