Tooth extraction is a last resort. If a tooth is damaged by tooth decay or it is chipped or broken, a dentist will first attempt to repair it through a filling, root canal, or crown repair. When a tooth is damaged beyond repair or an infection is causing gum disease, sometimes the dentist has no choice but to remove it. Removal is the most common cause of tooth extraction though in some instances diseases and medications require tooth extraction surgery.
A simple extraction is performed on a tooth that can be seen in the mouth. General dentists commonly do simple extractions. In a simple extraction, the dentist loosens the tooth before removing it. Most simple extractions can be done using (a local anesthetic).
A surgical extraction is a more complex procedure. It is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not come into the mouth yet. Surgical extractions commonly are done by oral surgeons. However, they are also done by general dentists. Sometimes it’s necessary to remove some of the bone around the tooth or to cut the tooth in half in order to extract it. For a surgical extractions, patients receive local anesthetic. Some people may need general anesthesia. They include patients with specific medical or behavioural conditions and young children.
