Having a tooth pulled can be necessary, especially if you have a wisdom tooth, tooth damaged beyond repair, your mouth is overcrowded, you have an impacted tooth, you have an infection or risk of infection, or you have gum disease.
Prior to pulling your tooth, you will receive an injection of local anesthesia in order to numb the area from which the tooth will be pulled. If you are having more than one extraction or your tooth is impacted (below the gums), Downingtown Family Dentistry may use a strong general anesthetic which will prevent pain throughout your body and cause you to sleep through the procedure.
After the tooth is pulled, a blood clot typically forms in the socket. We will pack a gauze pad into the socket and ask you to bite down to help stop the bleeding. If required, the dentist may place a few dissolving stitches to close the gum edges over the extraction site.
Recovery after the extraction is very important; it will typically take a few days. To minimize discomfort, speed up your recovery process, and reduce the risk of infection, there are some easy things to do. Take your painkillers as prescribed, apply an ice pack to the affected area immediately following the procedure to keep swelling at bay, relax for at least 24 hours after the extraction and limit your activity, and avoid rinsing, spitting forcefully, and sucking through a straw for 24 hours to avoid dislodging the clot, resulting in a dry socket.
