It is obvious to be frightened every time you hear from your dentists about your tooth extraction procedure. As per a report by NCBI, dental fear or dental anxiety affects around 36% of the population, and 12% of them suffer from extreme fear. Thus, to prevent themselves from this fear, people start neglecting their dental condition. Dental anxiety can eventually worsen the individual’s oral health.
Tooth extraction is one such procedure that makes the patients anxious. Even with the anesthesia, they are still not ready from their minds to take up the treatment. Pain, prolonged care requirements, and after-effects are some concerns for patients with tooth extraction treatment.
But this article is here to make you understand there’s nothing to fear about tooth extraction or its after-effects. Let’s try and understand the process of tooth extraction in San Antonio and Stone Oak, which will comfort you about the procedure.
Why is There A Need For Tooth Extraction?
The firstmost question that every patient asks their dentists upon being instructed about tooth extraction is, “Isn’t there any alternative to removing the tooth?”
Well, saving the natural tooth is also a priority for dentists. They try every means possible to prevent themselves from going down this road of extracting the tooth. But, in some situations where the complexities are beyond control, tooth removal is the only evident solution.
Basically, two types of tooth extractions are approached for patients, depending on their condition. You will be recommended with a specific extraction approach if the tooth is impacted onto the gums. And the approach will be different for those whose teeth fully erupted from their gum.
The Usual Process of Tooth Extraction
Now that you understand the necessity of tooth extraction, the next important thing to comfort you about this procedure is to be aware of the overall process.
To help you get a perspective, around 70% of people worldwide have to get a tooth removal for their wisdom teeth at some point in their lifetime. So, fearing the process will only worsen the outcomes, which can be avoided. The process remains the same whether you seek an affected tooth or wisdom teeth removal at Stone Oak.
Remember, tooth extraction is the process made mandatory to save your other teeth from severe decaying or infections from spreading to other teeth. Knowing this might cheer you up about tooth extraction being the right thing to do.
The procedure is categorized into a simple and surgical extraction. In a simple tooth extraction approach, the dentist will numb the affected area before they loosen the tooth. And then, dental forceps are used to remove the same. With this approach, dentists don’t make incisions or cuts within the gums.
But, if your condition demands surgical tooth extraction for situations where the tooth hasn’t grown completely, especially in the cases of wisdom teeth removal, then the approach will be different. For this process, the dentists will make small incisions in the gum to get hold of the affected tooth and extract it. A surgical emergency might also be triggered if there’s a need to remove multiple teeth in a single visit.
Also Read: What to Know About Tooth Extraction
What Do the Dentists Do To Manage Pain?
Dentists take optimal care to ensure there’s no pain in the process. There are very minimal risks associated with these procedures. The professionals will use sedation or anesthetics to minimize the discomfort and pain during this procedure. If there’s a need for simple tooth extraction, dentists will preferably use local anesthesia. It will numb the area around the tooth to prevent the pain sensation caused due to tooth extraction.
But, in case of surgical extraction, expect the dentists to inject you with dental sedation. As surgical tooth extractions are invasive, local anesthesia might not be effective in managing the pain. Therefore, intravenous sedation will set your mind in a semi-conscious or pleasant state. Don’t worry. You won’t be asleep with the dosage, but you also won’t be aware of what’s happening in your surroundings.
There’s a chance that you won’t even be able to recall anything that happened during the tooth extraction procedure. You need to keep in mind that there might be a certain level of discomfort that you will experience once the effect of sedative or anesthesia fades away. It is normal, as far as your overall healing process is concerned. Don’t worry; the discomfort will be mild and temporary, lesser than that you would have experienced during the tooth extraction session.
The doctors will be recommending pain relievers to help you overcome this after-effect. The discomfort after the extraction process will fade away with the passing of time, but complete recovery will need the next few days or around two weeks.
Tips For Patients to Overcome the Fear of Tooth Extraction
Even with this detailed understanding of the tooth extraction process, if there’s still some fear of pain, then here are a few tips for you to keep in mind:
1. Refreshing Rewards
Once you are done with the procedure, the dentists will recommend you eat ice cream or consume cold beverages until it is hard for you to swallow or chew food. Cold foods will help soothe the new gap within your teeth. And this is one of the refreshing reasons children get excited about tooth extraction. As an adult, if you crave ice cream or a cold beverage, this tip applies to you too.
2. Remember it’s a Quick Procedure
Remember, it is a quick procedure and won’t let you sit in the dentist’s chair for long. The duration will vary if you have multiple teeth to be removed. The less time you spend on the dentist’s chair, the more quickly you will be out of your anxiety.
Conclusion
So, keeping these factors in mind, you can prepare yourself to be less frightened of tooth extraction procedures. You should also remember that the skills of a dentist also matter when it comes to the comfortable extraction of teeth. So, look for the best dentists in San Antonio and Stone Oak for dental appointments.
If you haven’t found anyone reliable so far, end your search immediately. It is because Hardy Oak Family Dentistry is with experienced professionals and uses modern-day equipment to provide you with the best quality dental services, including painless tooth extraction. Book your appointment with Hardy Oak Family Dentistry today!
