FAQs

In most cases, tooth extraction is not a complicated procedure. The tooth and the surrounding area are anesthetized. The process begins with the use of levers to gently detach the tooth from the bone. In some situations, the tooth is entirely removed with a lever. If that is not the case, the extraction continues with the use of forceps. After the tooth is removed, the wound is inspected, and slight bleeding is stopped by placing a piece of gauze on the area and biting down for approximately 10 minutes.

This is very important because there are some things that you should avoid, yet most patients still do them.

Rule 1 – do not bite your lip, especially the one that is still under anesthesia. Often, despite our warnings, the patient “tries” and plays with the numb lip. Such a lip does not hurt, so the patient has no control over the bite and bites too hard, which causes strong pain after the anesthesia wears off.

Rule 2 – do not rinse the wound after tooth extraction with water, solutions, alcohol, etc. Bleeding is a normal occurrence and it is enough to just spit it out without additional rinsing. Normal eating and brushing teeth are usual.

Every intervention, no matter how simple in nature, can become complicated. During a tooth extraction, the following can occur:

• fracture of the tooth crown or root;
• injury or loosening of neighboring teeth or teeth in the opposite jaw;
• injury or fracture of surrounding bone;
• “dislocation” of the lower jaw and even fracture of the entire jaw. In addition to hard surrounding tissue, injuries to soft tissue such as bruising of the lips, tearing of the gums, and injuries and bruising of soft tissue under the mouth and tongue are possible. Surrounding structures such as the maxillary sinus can also be injured, and if the inferior alveolar nerve is injured, temporary or permanent numbness of the lower lip on the same side occurs. Breaking of instruments, profuse bleeding from the wound, and swallowing or aspiration of contents are also possible. Depending on the type of complication, specific measures are taken, and it is resolved in the shortest possible time.

You’ve had a tooth extracted and now begins the healing period. Unfortunately, neither you nor your dentist can rest completely at ease because numerous complications can arise even after a successful tooth extraction. Most commonly, after the anesthesia wears off, the extracted tooth site may start to ache. This moderate-intensity pain is caused by the surrounding soft tissue and disrupted fibers that connected the tooth to the bone. The pain usually subsides with usual painkillers. If the pain is exceptionally severe, typically on the second day after tooth extraction, we often refer to it as alveolitis. We will discuss this complication further below. If the pain persists and intensifies in the following days after tooth extraction, it’s always necessary to rule out the possibility of residual tooth fragments in the alveolus or fracture of the surrounding bone. Such fragments often lead to infection in the wound, and thus, the pain increases. Infection of the wound after tooth extraction is a possible and unpleasant complication. We search for and eliminate the cause of the infection, prescribe antibiotics, and continue monitoring until the symptoms subside. It’s also possible that after tooth extraction, the patient comes home, and as the anesthesia wears off, they experience profuse bleeding. Any bleeding must be stopped immediately after tooth extraction, especially for patients with blood disorders or those taking blood-thinning medication. Such patients are already prepared for tooth extraction, taking into account their health status. If you feel severe pain or any other sensation during the healing period after tooth extraction, you need to see a dentist to address any potential complications.

Of course, the first step is to immediately see a dentist. Swelling from a tooth in the mouth and on the face usually occurs due to a tooth infection. Swelling can also occur due to infections of other anatomical structures (such as salivary glands) and a dentist or maxillofacial surgeon will diagnose and provide an appropriate treatment plan. It is not wise to try to solve these situations on your own. In this text, we will focus on swelling caused by a tooth infection. They occur when bacteria from the tooth spread to the bone and then to the soft tissue, causing swelling (in the mouth or on the face). Initially, the tooth is very painful, even to the touch of the tongue. When the swelling occurs, the toothache somewhat subsides. The resulting swelling can remain localized to the area where it originated, and if left untreated or in cases of weak immunity, the swelling can spread to surrounding areas. It is very dangerous if the infection spreads to the throat and chest or into the skull. In the fight against microorganisms, the body’s defense and immunity play an exceptional role. Antibiotics are necessarily prescribed depending on the overall clinical picture. The causative tooth is often extracted, except in cases where it is possible to quickly control the infection and heal the tooth. Tissue drainage, also known as incision, is necessary to eliminate pus when conditions permit.

In the previous text, we mentioned what can cause pain after tooth extraction. However, even if the extraction went smoothly and there are no other complications, intense pain can still occur around the second or third day after the extraction. This is when we talk about alveolitis, which is a disturbance in wound healing. After a tooth is extracted, a blood clot is formed in the wound. It protects the wound and serves as a base for further healing, the formation of soft connective tissue, and several months later, bone tissue. When the formation of an adequate clot is absent after tooth extraction (causing its breakdown), a very strong, constant, often pulsating pain can occur, which can spread throughout the entire jaw. Patients then constantly take painkillers. Although you are not sure if something serious has occurred after tooth extraction, there is usually nothing more serious that happens besides pain. Of course, it is necessary to visit a dentist in order to receive first aid and eliminate the pain. The dentist will determine if the pain after tooth extraction is caused by alveolitis or another complication that may require urgent treatment. The therapy for alveolitis involves curettage of the broken clot under local anesthesia and the application of certain medications in the wound. In most cases, this one-time help is enough and the pain subsides. If not, the medication in the wound is changed the next day and in the following days, as long as the pain persists, without further curettage of the wound. The pain caused by alveolitis lasts for up to 7 days after tooth extraction.