Clinical review: Dr. Samreen Ejaz, BDS, RDS ·
Does the tooth really need to come out?
Sometimes it does, for example when a tooth is too broken down to repair or an impacted tooth keeps causing trouble. But pain on its own doesn’t mean extraction is the only answer. Dr. Samreen will examine the tooth, take an X-ray where needed and tell you honestly whether it can be saved, perhaps with a root canal, and what each choice involves. Then you decide.
Simple or surgical?
If the tooth is fully through the gum and the roots look straightforward, it can usually be removed simply under local anaesthetic. A surgical extraction is needed when the tooth is buried, broken at the gumline or has awkward roots. That can mean opening the gum and sometimes removing a little bone. We decide which after the examination and X-ray, and if your case is better handled elsewhere, we’ll tell you and refer you.
What “impacted” means
An impacted tooth, often a wisdom tooth, hasn’t come through properly. We describe it by its angle (tilted forwards, which dentists call mesial, upright, or lying horizontal) and by how much it’s covered: by gum only, partly by bone, or completely by bone. These words help us plan, but only the examination and X-ray show how your tooth actually sits and how close its roots are to nearby structures.
Before you come in
Tell us about every medicine you take, especially blood thinners or anything else that affects bleeding, and about any health problems or past trouble after dental treatment. Don’t stop a prescribed medicine on your own. We may need to speak to your doctor first. For a surgical removal, it helps to bring someone with you and keep the rest of the day quiet.
After the extraction
Bite firmly on the gauze as we show you and leave the socket alone so a clot can form. Stick to soft food, don’t rinse hard or poke the area, and take pain relief as advised. Call us if bleeding won’t stop with pressure, if pain or swelling gets worse instead of settling, or if you get a fever. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go straight to a hospital emergency department.
Filling the gap later
Not every missing tooth has to be replaced, but it’s worth talking about before the extraction. A denture, bridge or implant each need different timing and care, and some depend on how the socket heals. Thinking about it early means you won’t be caught out later, and we can plan the extraction with the replacement in mind.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Questions about tooth extraction (simple and surgical)
Does it hurt?
The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, so you should feel pressure rather than sharp pain. Some soreness afterwards is normal and usually settles over a few days.
Will I need stitches?
Sometimes, usually after a surgical extraction. We’ll tell you whether they dissolve on their own or need taking out at a review visit.
Is every horizontal wisdom tooth removed the same way?
No. The depth, the root shape and what lies nearby all change the plan, so two horizontal teeth can need quite different surgery.
Can I just book an extraction without a check-up?
You can book the appointment, but we’ll still examine the tooth first. We need to know the right way to remove it, and whether it should come out at all.
This is general information. What’s right for your tooth depends on what Dr. Samreen finds when she examines it.
Background reading: NHS: dental treatments. These are overseas sources, so their prices and rules don’t apply here.