Having a tooth removed, or having a tooth extraction, is a
fairly common procedure which can be done by all dentists in Birmingham, and can be
necessary for several reasons. Here are some of the most common ones:

• If a tooth is broken beyond repair it may need to be extracted.
• You may need an extraction if you have crowded teeth to help straighten them out.
• It is fairly common for wisdom teeth to become impacted and need removing.
• The build up of bacteria caused by severe gum disease may damage the bone, loosening the tooth and necessitating an extraction.
• If the tooth pulp becomes infected it can cause an abscess. Sometimes this means extraction is necessary.

Sometimes it is possible for other forms of dental jobs to be effective. For example, root
canal treatment is usually preferable to extraction when a tooth is infected. Orthodontics may also be able to help straighten crowded teeth without
any need for extraction.

The Procedure

If after your consultation the dentist feels extraction is the right course of action you will be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area. Once this
has taken effect the dentist will widen the socket of the tooth using a special tool called an elevator (similar to a pair of forceps). Using the
elevator, the tooth will be levered from side to side to loosen it, until it is loose enough to be removed. The procedure should be painless but you
will feel pressure in your mouth and jaw. In some cases, which are rare, the procedure can be more complicated and it will be necessary to cut into the
gum to reach the root.

Aftercare

You may need stitches after the procedure, but not always. The dentist will give you a soft pad to bite on to stop the bleeding. You will need to stay
at the dentist’s surgery until the bleeding has been controlled, which will probably be about 10-15 minutes. Once the anaesthetic has worn off you may
need to take painkillers. Following the extraction, it is important that you take care of your teeth to avoid infection, so brush your teeth twice
daily with a fluoride based toothpaste. You should also avoid alcohol, which will increase the bleeding, exercise, hot or chewy food and smoking for
around 24 hours after the extraction.