Dental Extractions with Dr Arna Irgens

This is by far the most common procedure carried out by an oral surgeon. Most dentists try to save teeth where possible but if the tooth is damaged/decayed or infected beyond repair then the tooth will need to be removed (extracted).

The procedure can be a simple removal of the tooth involving removing the tooth with forceps and dental instruments, or more involving cutting the gum and often removing the bone surrounding the tooth with a drill. It may be necessary to cut the tooth into pieces to remove it. Dissolving stitches are used to put the gum back in place.

Dental extractions are performed for a variety of reasons, including:

• Severe Tooth Decay: When a tooth is too damaged to be repaired with a filling or crown.
• Periodontal Disease: Advanced gum disease can loosen teeth, necessitating removal.
• Impacted Teeth: Commonly seen with wisdom teeth, which may not have enough room to emerge properly.
  
• Orthodontic Treatment: To create space for proper alignment of teeth.
  
• Broken Teeth: Teeth that are fractured beyond repair.

Extractions can be performed under local anaesthetic, intravenous sedation or general anaesthetic. With a local anaesthetic, you are fully awake, and the area is made numb by an injection in the mouth, usually in the gum adjacent to the tooth or for lower teeth, often at the back of the mouth. IV sedation ‘twilight sleep’  An Anaesthetist will give you a sedative injection through a needle in your arm or the back of your hand to become relaxed and less aware of your surroundings. General Anaesthetic, when fully asleep, cannot be carried out in a dental practice setting, and you will be referred to a hospital.

After any operation in the mouth, a certain amount of discomfort and swelling is inevitable. Read our after-care leaflet for more information.