Treatment
Before the extraction begins, a local anaesthetic is applied to prevent pain and make the treatment as comfortable as possible for the patient. However, this is usually not necessary for the extraction of milk teeth. Once the tooth is sufficiently anaesthetized, extraction can begin.
There are certain instruments in dentistry for this purpose, such as a lever or even pliers, with which the tooth is carefully removed from its socket. The term “pulling” is actually not correct in this context, because simply pulling should not be used when removing a tooth. The whole thing is a play of rotating and tilting movements of the tooth, which loosen it more and more until it can be removed at the end.
If the empty tooth socket is present, it is cleaned thoroughly and the patient is asked to bite on a gauze swab. The next steps take place all alone in the tooth socket. A blood clot is formed, which lies in the empty tooth socket and fills it.
In some cases it is necessary to suture the oral mucosa over the affected area. The blood clot formed has the task of protecting the fresh wound from bacteria, viruses and fungi until the mucous membrane has grown over the wound by itself. Complete healing occurs within the next few weeks. If complications occur during this phase, it is advisable to visit the dentist again to prevent inflammation.
After the treatment
After the extraction of a tooth, some rules should be followed in order not to jeopardize the healing process and to exclude complications. The first thing to do after such an operation is to rest, as the body has been stressed and the wound is still very fresh. In addition, you should not eat or drink immediately after the procedure.
Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine should not be used until the wound has completely healed, as they put unnecessary strain on the wound and increase the risk of inflammation. Pain and swelling as well as bruising and mouth opening difficulties are not uncommon after such an operation and are part of the normal healing process. However, cooling the wound from the outside can make this more bearable.
These inconveniences should subside during the healing process. If this is not the case, a visit to the doctor is advisable to find the cause. As with any procedure, the extraction of a tooth can lead to various complications, especially during the healing phase.
Bleeding that lasts longer after the tooth has been extracted can cause problems. However, bleeding can be stopped by suturing or pressure-pressed swabs and sponges. The wound can also become infected and inflamed.
This is combated with antibiotics, which are applied directly to the wound with a little cloth. It is also possible that the blood clot does not form or that the wound is not completely closed, so that bacteria can get to the wound. The absence of blood clot formation is sometimes called alveolitis sicca.
To treat this, the wound is scraped out again under anesthesia to create a new wound surface that can heal again. Next, a disinfecting tamponade is inserted, which must be changed regularly by the dentist. In rare cases, neighboring teeth may be damaged during the procedure, which must then be treated individually.
Taste and sensation disorders may occur. Generally, a broken jaw can also occur as a complication. All the mentioned complications must also be assessed and communicated to the patient before the procedure.
