Smile Sensations: What a Tooth Extraction Feels Like

As you prepare for your tooth extraction, you may feel a tad scared. It’s easy to assume that removing teeth is painful for patients. However, there’s good news – you can learn how tooth removal works ahead of your treatment. Your Wethersfield dentist will even share a play-by-play of the procedure to ease your worries. To that end, read on to learn what a tooth extraction feels like and how to manage its aftercare.

How a Tooth Extraction Works

Often enough, a tooth extraction follows a few key steps. These include the following:

• Expose the Tooth: Before they remove it, a dentist will ensure they can see your tooth. For a simple extraction, that means they’ll look at the affected tooth’s crown. As for a surgical extraction, they’ll first make a gum incision to make the tooth visible.
• Smooth Extraction: The dentist will extract your tooth from its socket using forceps and elevators. They may remove bone fragments or spurts as well.
• Close the Space: The dentist will clean the treatment site and stitch it up after the extraction. By doing so, they’ll keep your gum tissue from getting infected.
• Control the Bleeding: Once they finish cleaning, the dentist will place gauze over the treatment site and ask you to bite down on it. This step controls post-treatment bleeding.

What Does Treatment Feel Like?

To be honest, a tooth extraction is a smooth and pain-free procedure. Dentists take steps to ensure the treatment doesn’t involve aches.

You see, a dentist will numb your mouth before your extraction starts. It’s as simple as applying an anesthetic that keeps your teeth, gums, and bone tissue from feeling pain. When that’s done, the only thing you’ll feel is the slight “bite” of the needle from the anesthesia injection. The rest of your treatment will then go easily for you and your dentist.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare Tips

Admittedly, you’ll likely feel a bit sore after the extraction. You can manage any post-care aches by using the following tips:

• The day after your extraction, only eat soft foods — items like soup, yogurt, etc. You can switch back to solids after the treatment site heals enough.
• Take prescribed or store-bought painkillers to dull your soreness once the anesthesia fades.
• For a few days after your treatment, avoid the extraction site when brushing or flossing.

Rinse your mouth with warm salt water for a few days, starting the day after treatment.

Clearly, what a tooth extraction feels like isn’t something to fear. You can go into your treatment trusting that it’ll be ache-free.

About the Practice

Wethersfield Dental Group is based in Wethersfield, CT. Led by Drs. Phadnis and Javed, our practice takes a personalized and caring approach to dentistry. We always tailor our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments to your smile and its unique needs. That way, your teeth and gums will surely thrive for years to come! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (860)-400-3007.