Extractions


Regardless of how hard we try, there may still come a time when we’ll need a tooth extraction. It’s important to feel comfortable and confident about this procedure so Cornelius Dental Clinic wants you to know what’s involved.

What's Involved In A Tooth Extraction?

You can know before you even arrive for your appointment that you need tooth extraction. This is because you’ll have severe tooth pain that will grow worse any time you chew or put any sort of pressure on it. You’ll also have swollen gums, and your jaw in this area will be stiff or painful too. If you have any of these signs, you’ll know that you need tooth extraction. Once you notice these signs, it’s important to have this procedure done as soon as possible. Failure to do so could result in your tooth growing more painful, becoming misaligned, or it may even grow infected.

When you come to our office for tooth extraction, we’ll give you a local anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain. After we finish the extraction, you’ll experience a little bit of swelling and pain. This is normal. You may want to take some over the counter painkilling medication or put an ice bag on this area so the pain diminishes and you don’t have any swelling.

We may also prescribe some prophylactic antibiotics since research has shown that these can help reduce the likelihood that either dry socket or infection may occur. If you’re having a third molar removed, you’re more likely to be prescribed these antibiotics. However, there are also times when we’ll prescribe antibiotics to keep an infection from causing complications.

Recovery Time

Healing from an extraction takes some time since you’ll have a divot in your gum and a hole in your mouth. You may appear to be completely healed in just five days after the extraction, but since everyone heals differently, it may take up to two weeks. This doesn’t mean it’ll take you this long to return to normal activities, but that you must realize that your soft tissue isn’t ready for any extraneous activities. It may not be ready for as many as four weeks after the extraction. If you’ve had a surgical extraction (an extraction in which your tooth is removed from your gum and jawbone), it may take you even longer to heal.

Understanding The Difference Between A Root Canal And Extraction

The information above is about tooth extraction, not a root canal. This is important to understand because we’ll typically do a root canal first unless your tooth is too far compromised. Doing so will fix your natural tooth so it can continue holding the space in your mouth and you won’t develop other issues. This is also why you’ll need a dental implant after extraction.

We understand that there’s much information here for you to understand, but we feel that it’s important for you to know exactly what’s going on with your oral health. If you still have additional questions, contact Cornelius Dental Clinic at (971) 317-9323.