Tooth Extraction: Why And How It Is Done.

The teeth only fall out naturally at one stage in development. Any other instance of missing teeth is unnatural, forced, or due to diseases or infections. Missing teeth can make getting through your daily activities hard because of the critical role they perform. In addition, the void left behind by a missing tooth can be a point of penetration for dental infections and diseases.

The milk teeth, also known as baby teeth, start to fall out naturally when a child is about age six or seven. Childhood is the only time the teeth fall out naturally, and they are subsequently replaced by another set of teeth known as permanent teeth. These teeth, according to their name, are meant to serve an individual for a lifetime as there would be no natural replacement if they fall out. However, this doesn’t stop the teeth from falling out due to trauma to the face or injuries from accidents. Sometimes, a tooth can be removed by a dentist in Caledon, Brampton, ON, to save other teeth or end severe pain. This process is known as tooth extraction.

Tooth extractions in Caledon, Brampton, ON is a procedure through which a damaged tooth or a tooth that serves as a threat to other teeth is removed by a dental professional. In Kennedy North Dentistry, tooth extractions are performed only when other dental procedures have been tried and have failed.
Your teeth help in tearing, biting, and chewing food (mastication) for easy digestion. Therefore without teeth, eating food will be a difficult task to perform. The teeth are also responsible for speech production and pronunciation of words. Missing teeth can cause your dishes to come out slurred and make communication almost impossible. Finally, the teeth are responsible for the shape of the face. They support the jaws and make the face firm. Without the teeth, your face would sag and have wrinkles, making you look older than you are.

Therefore, a tooth extraction procedure is considered a last resort in saving a tooth or dental health.

Reasons For Tooth Extraction

You might need a tooth extraction for the following reasons:

• Tooth Decay: Dental plaques are films of bacteria that stick to the surface of the teeth and feed off sugary/starchy food particles. They produce acid that eats away at and wears down the tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. Severe tooth decay can cause severe pain, abscesses, and cavities that make extraction necessary.
• Overcrowded teeth.
• Impacted teeth: These are teeth that do not grow above the gumline. This is one of the reasons why you might need an emergency wisdom tooth removal near you because wisdom teeth are often impacted.
• The use of braces or other orthodontic devices.
• Failed dental procedures that might have damaged the teeth.

Tooth Extraction Procedure

There are two types of tooth extraction procedures based on how they are done. These procedures are known as simple tooth extraction and surgical extraction.

Simple Tooth Extraction

This simple procedure requires anesthesia to numb the teeth and the tissues surrounding them and dental forceps to pull out the erring tooth. This tooth extraction procedure is only used to remove teeth that have well grown and are visible above the gum line.

Surgical Tooth Extraction

As its name implies, this procedure of tooth extraction requires surgery. It is carried out to remove impacted teeth or teeth that have broken off below the gumline. This procedure is also used for impacted wisdom teeth. The process involves applying anesthesia, making a small incision in the gums, and removing the underlying tooth.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare

After a tooth extraction procedure or during a wisdom tooth extraction recovery, various steps are taken to ease pain and protect the extraction site from being infected. These steps include:

• Rest for at least twenty-four hours after a successful tooth extraction procedure.
• Do not rinse your mouth, spit, or use a straw for about 24 hours after the procedure to avoid dislodging a blood clot.
• Brush and floss regularly as usual. However, avoid the extraction site.
• Apply an ice pack over the affected area to prevent swelling.
• Take painkillers and all medications as prescribed.
• Contact your dentist immediately in case of nonstop bleeding, severe pain, and other abnormalities.