When it comes to dental procedures, tooth extraction – or having teeth “pulled” – is among patients’ most dreaded prospects.
Tooth extraction involves removing a tooth from its socket in the jaw bone. Before Dr. Perrott considers extraction, every effort will be made to try to repair and restore your tooth. However, sometimes a tooth extraction is necessary
We will make every effort to repair and restore your tooth before extraction!
Not Every Tooth Can Be Saved
A dental extraction (also referred to as tooth extraction, exodontia, exodontics, or historically, tooth pulling) is the removal of teeth from the dental alveolus (socket) in the alveolar bone.
Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay, periodontal disease or dental trauma; especially when they are associated with toothache.
Sometimes wisdom teeth are impacted (stuck and unable to grow normally into the mouth) and may cause recurrent infections of the gum (pericoronitis). In orthodontics if the teeth are crowded, sound teeth may be extracted (often bicuspids) to create space so the rest of the teeth can be straightened.
Tooth extraction is usually relatively straightforward, and the vast majority can be usually performed quickly while the individual is awake by using local anesthetic injections to eliminate painful sensations.
Local anesthetic blocks pain, but mechanical forces are still vaguely felt. Some teeth are more difficult to remove for several reasons, especially related to the tooth’s position, the shape of the tooth roots and the integrity of the tooth.