Answering Your Dental Extraction Questions

A dental extraction can be a routine procedure that individuals will need when a tooth has suffered particularly serious damage. While extractions are considered a routine procedure, having a tooth removed can be a major and stressful experience for the patient.

What Are You Tooth Replacement Options?

After you have a tooth removed, you may immediately be concerned about the options for replacing it. This is particularly true when the tooth removed was one of your front teeth as these can be among the most cosmetically important. Depending on the position of the tooth, either a dental bridge or implant can be used to replace it. An implant will be the more permanent and natural looking option, but a bridge may be more affordable.

How Long Should You Avoid Eating Hard Foods?

During the first day or two after the extraction, you may want to avoid eating solid food. This can irritate and damage the wound site. During this time, you may want to limit yourself to foods that can be eaten with very limited chewing. Many patients may not consider this limitation until after the procedure, which can lead to them have few food options. In the day or two leading to your extraction, you may want to prepare soft foods and soups for you to eat as you may be too sore or medicated to be able to cook after the extraction.

Will The Extraction Site Require Any Special Care?

As with any other type of wound, it is important to keep the extraction site as clean as possible. Food and plaque can get in the extraction site, which can greatly increase the risk of infection along with potentially making your discomfort far worse. Regularly rinsing the extraction to remove these substances can be effective. However, you will want to be careful to avoid disturbing the scab that will form where the tooth was located.

Are There Warning Signs That You Should Look For During Your Recovery?

You will need to attend a follow-up visit with your dentist so that they can monitor your healing. However, there are warning signs that may indicate that you need to seek treatment. In particular, you may notice excessive swelling, the development of a fever or a pus pocket forming. If any of these issues start to arise at the extraction site, immediate treatment should be sought from your dentist. Otherwise, you could develop a potentially serious oral infection that could cause severe damage and require extensive treatment.

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