Tooth pulling, also known as “tooth extraction” speaking in dental terminology, requires an individual assessment taking several factors into account . In our dental clinic, the general and dental anamnesis takes place first (questioning about the state of health) and afterwards a careful patient examination. After the x-ray and the oral examination, the dentist decides whether the tooth is worth preserving or not.
It is always the stated goal to preserve the tooth (s), but there are of course cases when tooth extraction is the only option.
Tooth extraction may be unavoidable in the following cases:
- In the case of advanced caries, the coronal part of the tooth is so badly destroyed that it cannot be restored with any method
- after an unsuccessful tooth root canal treatment
- in the case of a large-scale inflammation beginning at the root tip, which could not be successfully treated by root canal treatment and root tip resection.
- due to periodontal atrophy (tooth tissue shrinkage) and thus the affected tooth is highly moveable
- Trauma due to an accident that also injured the root of the tooth
- for orthodontic purposes
- Jammed (impacted) teeth (e.g. a wisdom tooth)
- protruding teeth whose position is abnormal
In the case of a tooth extraction, a panoramic x-ray gives a good overview to the treating dentist. However, this image may be distorted to different degrees on various parts. If the dentist will decide that a more precise picture is required for the tooth extraction or to clarify further dental treatments (e.g. implantation), a DVT can also be carried out in our dental clinic.
The DVT has the advantage that the structure of the bone tissue can be shown in 3 dimensions without distortion. The anatomical conditions are shown precisely, the distance between the teeth and the nasal cavity or the nerve canal or the exact extent of a cyst. In a further implantation treatment, it can be precisely determined whether the bone is sufficient, since the width and height of the bone can be measured precisely.
In our dental clinic, the tooth extraction is carried out under local anesthesia, but if necessary a tooth extraction can also be carried out under nitrous oxide sedation or under general anesthesia.
Depending on the treatment case, a distinction is made between simple tooth extraction and tooth removal using a more complicated oral surgical procedure.
During the tooth extraction you will not feel any pain, just some pressure and tension on the jaw. Our goal is to make the intervention as atraumatic (tissue-sparing) as possible.
After tooth extraction, the area of the extracted tooth is thoroughly cleaned. After the wound has "bleed out", the wound edges can only be closed by pressure or with a suture. The treating dentist makes this decision depending on the treatment case.
In the case of a simple tooth extraction and if the wound size, i.e. the depth, is correspondingly small, it is generally sufficient for the patient to bite on a sterile gauze pad for 15 minutes after the procedure.
If an implant pin is to be placed after a tooth extraction, we treat with a small collagen cone (dental cone), which helps the blood to clot and prevents the bone tissue from progressing due to the tooth extraction.
If the tooth extraction was more complicated and a larger wound has formed as a result, or if an implant is planned to replace the extracted tooth later, a collagen cone is used and the wound edges are closed with an absorbent suture.
In some cases, the use of hemostatic collagen suppositories and sutures is mandatory, for example in patients with coagulation disorders or who are receiving blood thinning therapy.
Due to the collagen suppository used in our dental clinic, wound healing is easier and faster. The collagen cone has a stabilizing and hemostatic (hemostatic) role and also reduces the atrophy rate (decomposition) of the gum bed after tooth extraction.
Stabilizing the tooth bed with the collagen cone improves both aesthetic and functional results in the long term.
The advantage of the resorbable sutures we use is that they are broken down by the body and it is therefore not necessary to callback the patient into the dental clinic to remove the sutures. A foreign body reaction is also prevented.
After the tooth extraction, we provide each of our patients with a recommendation that summarizes the rules of conduct for uncomplicated healing. Although tooth extraction is a painless procedure, pain can occur as the anesthetic effect wears off.
This effect can be reduced by taking pain medication. If necessary, your dentist will also give you antibiotics, which should always be taken as directed.