The most common form of oral surgery a person will encounter is an extraction. There are a number of reasons for an extraction such as tooth decay, orthodontic spacing or the extraction of wisdom teeth because they are impacted.
How are extractions done?
An extraction can be done either under local aesthetic or sedation. If the wisdom teeth are to be removed, meaning all four, then it is common for the patient to be sedated during the surgery. For most people the wisdom teeth will erupt naturally and without trouble; however this is not always the case. A considerable amount of pain can be caused by impacted wisdom teeth and in some cases they can become infected. Any pain or discomfort felt in or around the wisdom tooth area needs to be addressed by the dentist as soon as possible.
Oral Infection
If an infection is present and is not treated it can lead to serious complications. Abscesses can develop and if left for a long time the infection can even spread into the bone of the jaw. The only way to prevent the infection from spreading further and damaging more teeth, jaw and gum tissue is to remove the infected tooth.
Post-surgery
After surgery there are a number of pointers that patients should be aware of such as; not eating hot food for the first 24 hours. Avoid drinking alcohol and do not smoke for the first 24 hours either. If the gap has not been stitched up resist the urge to move any blood clots that form in the gap, after the first 24 hours carefully rinse out the mouth with warm salt water. Pain relief can be taken to ease the initial discomfort, if however the pain continues past a few days a return visit to the dentists should be arranged.
Tags: liverpool, oral surgery, oral surgery Liverpool, Tooth extraction
