Tooth Extraction by an Oral Surgeon

There are various reasons why an oral surgeon might perform a tooth extraction, but the procedure is typically done as a last resort when there is no way to save the tooth. Some of the common reasons an oral surgeon might recommend extracting a tooth include severe decay, infection, or to make more room on a patient's jaw.

Tooth extractions are a form of oral surgery and can be broken down into two types: Simple and complex extractions. Simple extractions involve using tools like forceps to pull a tooth out of its socket, while complex extractions involve making an incision into the patient’s gums and cutting teeth up into smaller pieces that are easier to remove.

Anesthetics are usually administered during extractions so patients do not experience much pain during the procedure. Some discomfort is expected afterward when the anesthetic wears off, and pain medication might be prescribed to help manage the pain.

Reasons an oral surgeon might recommend tooth extraction

Most tooth extractions are avoidable since they are often needed due to minor dental issues being ignored and allowed to morph into major dental problems. The exceptions to this rule would be wisdom teeth extractions or emergency extractions performed on severely damaged teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the only set of teeth that are deemed unnecessary in dentistry, and they are often the last set to emerge. They are the most likely set of teeth to negatively affect others on the jaw since there might not be enough space left by the time they emerge. Many oral surgeons recommend having wisdom teeth extracted to prevent them from causing complications in the future.

Not getting the necessary treatment for existing dental issues typically makes them worse and can lead to a dentist having to extract the damaged tooth. For example, tooth decay is one of the most common dental issues, and it can be easily treated with fluoride treatments and fillings in its early stages.

However, untreated decay never goes away on its own, and left untreated, the damage will reach the soft tissues in the tooth’s innermost chamber. At this point, the tooth becomes prone to infection, and an extraction might be needed if there is a chance the infection will spread to other parts of the body where its effects can be life-threatening.

Other reasons an oral surgeon might recommend extracting a tooth include:

• To remove a severely damaged tooth so it can be replaced with restorations like implants
• To make space on the jaw
• To stop an infection that is threatening to spread to other areas
• To prepare patients who have lost most of their teeth on a dental arch for restorations like dentures
• To remove baby teeth that fail to fall out properly

The process

Getting a tooth extracted starts with the surgeon injecting the area being worked on with a local anesthetic so the patient does not feel pain. A forceps is used to pull the tooth if a simple extraction is being performed or a cut is made into gum tissues to perform a complex extraction. The procedure typically takes an hour to complete.