Are There Any Effects of Tooth Extraction?

Getting a tooth extraction is not the most exciting experience, but it’s often necessary if you have a severely damaged or infected tooth. It may be intimidating to imagine having your tooth pulled out. However, with proper care and education, you can smoothly recover from this procedure.

Read on as we discuss the effects of tooth extraction and what you need to know before undergoing this dental treatment.

During the Procedure

There are generally two ways for tooth extraction. 

The first method involves using a simple traction technique when removing teeth that are visible in your mouth. This technique involves using traditional forceps to loosen teeth from their sockets gradually.

The second method is surgical removal. This involves cutting into your gums via an incision made in specific cases. An example is when wisdom teeth grow at odd angles, or roots remain embedded in thick jawbones.

Before performing either type of tooth extraction process at dental clinics like 3D Smile Solutions, local anesthesia is injected into the gums around the affected teeth for pain relief.

Aftercare

Once extracted successfully, you’ll probably experience some degree of discomfort and soreness in surrounding areas. This goes for about three days to a week post-operation. 

Typical symptoms include swelling and bleeding, but they are temporary side effects. Routine management methods will suffice.

Your dentist may prescribe some medication or suggest remedies such as ice packs applied externally against swollen cheek/jaw muscles. These help improve recovery time.

They will also provide post-operative care guidance that includes:

• Change your gauze pads regularly, holding them tightly over extraction sites to control bleeding.
• Avoid consuming hot and cold drinks for the initial 24 hours after surgery. Give it some time before including these in your meals.
• Eat soft foods and stay hydrated with water or other liquids throughout the day.
• Refrain from smoking cigarettes or using tobacco products until fully healed, as they interfere with healing and cause infections.

Effects of Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction effects vary depending on each individual’s case. The location of extracted teeth is essential as it can determine how much discomfort you’ll feel afterward. It also determines its potential impact on surrounding areas.

Here are the effects of tooth extraction: 

• General pain, moderate to severe swelling around your tongue area, and tenderness when biting down may be experienced in most cases. However, this usually settles down within a few days.
• When multiple teeth are removed at once—like is the case with wisdom tooth extractions—there is a higher chance or longer duration of numbness occurring around that given area. 
• Since more gum nerves are affected during this process, it has to regenerate properly. Hence, it isn’t rare for people with swollen cheeks to experience a slight droop while smiling. This is due to facial muscles being under stress during healing. 
• In rare circumstances, complications such as non-surgical wound infection arising from poor oral hygiene practices can occur. As a result, they can complicate the healing process post-extraction. 
• Bleeding may occur at the extraction site for several hours after the procedure.
• Tooth loss can alter facial appearance by causing sunken cheeks and wrinkles around the mouth area.
• Teeth located near the empty space where teeth were extracted might shift due to space changes caused by missing teeth over time.

Tooth extraction is a common dental procedure that can have a variety of effects on an individual. While the procedure may provide relief to some, it can also cause the aforementioned effects. Understanding the potential risks associated with tooth extraction before undergoing the procedure enables patients to communicate any concerns with their dental care provider.