Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. Removing a tooth is necessary when decay or an abscessed tooth is so severe that no other treatment will cure the infection.

Extraction is performed for positional, structural, or economic reasons. Teeth are often removed because they are impacted. Teeth may also be extracted to make more room in the mouth prior to straightening the remaining teeth (orthodontic treatment), or because they are so badly positioned that straightening is impossible. Extraction may be used to remove teeth that are badly decayed or broken and cannot be restored. In addition, patients sometimes choose extraction as a less expensive alternative to filling or placing a crown on a severely decayed tooth.

Before removing your tooth, the dentist uses a local anesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. A stronger, general anesthetic may be used, especially if several or all of the teeth need to be removed. An instrument called an elevator is used to loosen the tooth, widen the space in the bone, and break the tiny elastic fibers that attach the tooth to the bone. Once the tooth is dislocated from the bone, it can be lifted and removed with forceps.

A great deal of aftercare and precautions go into the whole procedure. It’s very important for the patients to resume their normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing teeth and tongue and flossing at least once a day.