You may require a tooth extraction for a number of reasons, such as tooth decay, the need for orthodontic spacing or an impacted wisdom tooth.

Tooth extractions are carried out under local anaesthetic or sedation, so the patient does not experience any pain. Once your tooth is taken out you will need to take care of the area to stop the development of infections.

Wisdom Teeth

Most wisdom teeth come through without complications, and but others may not have enough room to erupt, or may erupt at an angle and lead to tooth impaction. This can cause pain, discomfort, and infection.

Wisdom teeth can affect people years after they have come through, even if it has been some time since they initially erupted. If they start causing you pain, visit the surgery right away. Infected wisdom teeth can turn into a serious problem if left untreated, with the possibility of abscesses and even a severe infection of the bone, if allowed to progress. Having your wisdom tooth removed in such cases will stop the infection from spreading and save the health of the surrounding teeth, gums and jawbone

Some guidelines for after surgery care include:

• Do not eat hot food for the first 24 hours, and it is also best to avoid smoking and drinking.
• Try not to move any clots that may have formed in the gap.
• Avoid rinsing your mouth out for 24 hours. Following this you should use a salty, warm glass of water to gently rinse the mouth. Half a teaspoon of salt is more than enough.
• Maintain a normal oral hygiene routine for the rest of your mouth
• If you find tiny pieces of bone in the socket do not be alarmed as this is normal.
• Painkillers can be taken to ease the pain, but do not let the tablets touch the location of the surgery site.
• If you experience pain in the socket a few days after the extraction visit your dentist.