One of the pleasures of being a dentist is being able to really make a difference to a patient’s quality of life. To do that, sometimes a tooth extraction is the only solution.
Our dentist Aryaan Khalid enjoys seeing the difference he can make. “Taking a tooth out is a last resort. If I can save a tooth, I will. But I am always glad when I can take away dental pain. Being pain free makes such a difference to day-to-day living. These days there are great options to fill the space left after an extraction.” Aryaan is accepting new patients in SpaDental Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye and Tewkesbury. He also offers Saturday appointments on alternating weekends in Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye.
We hope the information about extractions here will help you feel confident if you are experiencing dental pain. Or if you think you may need an extraction.
A new patient appointment
Jane, we’ll call her Jane, booked an appointment because she was experiencing dental pain, particularly in a lower back tooth. A new patient to the practice, Jane was hesitant to attend as she had bad memories of previous visits to other dentists.
A thorough examination
With a lot of reassurance, Aryaan examined Jane’s teeth and gums. Together they talked about her problems and pain.
Aryaan understands patients may feel uncomfortable discussing their oral hygiene routines. He explained to Jane her first step back to oral health meant spending more time on her at-home dental routines. Hygiene is a personal and sensitive topic, but dental teams do their best to be factual and understanding. Aryaan likes to build a supportive and sympathetic relationship with his patients.
Aryaan’s advice to Jane was inter-dental cleaning at least once a day and brushing with prescription toothpaste of a higher fluoride content twice a day. He offered dietary advice too. He alerted Jane to the problems of gum disease: further bone loss, wobbly teeth and eventual tooth loss. Jane readily agreed to introduce a more rigorous regime at home.
During the examination, Aryaan identified caries of varying severity in more than ten teeth. One tooth with a previous restoration was also fractured. Together patient and dentist agreed on a treatment plan involving the extraction of two lower back teeth, root canal therapy and crowns to restore front teeth. Fortunately, Aryaan could repair the teeth which had less damage with direct composite restorations.
After discussing costs and expected outcomes, Aryaan shared the agreed written treatment plan with Jane. It can be difficult to understand all the details during an appointment, so a treatment plan is a useful document for patients to refer to later.
Tooth extraction offers relief from dental pain
During Jane’s second appointment, she had two lower back teeth extracted. The pain they caused had increased over the weekend, so Jane knew she would be glad not to have them in her mouth anymore.
Keeping the patient comfortable
Aryaan knows that a patient needs to feel comfortable. His manner is calm and attentive. He reassures nervous patients and boosts their confidence.
For Jane’s extractions, he explained the process and agreed on a hand signal if at any point during the procedure she needed a short break. Before the treatment could begin, he explained the risks and asked for her verbal consent.
Patients need to be aware of possible complications from a tooth extraction, such as:
-
- swelling or bruising
- ‘dry socket’ (alveolar osteitis) and subsequent infection
- damage to the inferior alveolar nerve with possible temporary or permanent tingling, numbness, or reduced sensation
- damage to adjacent teeth
- tooth or root fracture
- retained roots
- TMD (temporomandibular disorder)
- localised bone loss or shrinkage
Listed like this it can sound daunting, which is why trust is so important. Aryaan proceeds with due caution and concern for his patient’s wellbeing.
Removing a tooth
Consent given, once Aryaan and Jane agree the local area is fully anaesthetised, the extraction begins. Using specialist tools, such as an ergonomically designed luxator and molar forceps, the procedure is quick and efficient. Following a successful extraction, the socket is cleaned and staunched. Aryaan also used dissolving stitches to close the site of one of Jane’s extractions.
While tooth extraction sounds like a challenging procedure, and patients are aware of the dentist’s actions, it is not painful.
Post-extraction aftercare
Aryaan gave Jane both verbal and written advice to protect natural healing after her tooth extraction:
- no hot drinks for the next 3-4 hours because of the desensitising effect of local anaesthetic
- no smoking or alcohol for at least 24 hours
- use a warm water and salt mouth wash 24 hours after
- avoid lifting heavy things for the next day or two
- choose a soft diet
- take appropriate analgesia
- control any post operation bleeding with gauze and some pressure, and
- contact the dentist for advice if bleeding cannot be controlled or there’s extreme pain
It is normal to feel some discomfort after a tooth extraction. Fortunately, Jane didn’t have any complications and was soon back to continue the next steps on her journey to dental wellness!
Further treatment
Jane had five appointments over a period of two months to restore her teeth. She’s delighted with the results! Aryaan was determined to save her front teeth, and so, with root canal therapy and crowns, he restored her smile.
But that’s another post!
Click on the image here to read more from the BDA about dental extractions and aftercare:
