There are two kinds of tooth extraction, a simple extraction and a surgical extraction. A simple dental extraction procedure is used to remove a tooth that can be seen and is easily accessible, where a surgical dental extraction requires an incision into the gums to gain access to the tooth that needs to be removed.
Simple Dental Extraction
A simple dental extraction involves the removal of a tooth that is visible in your mouth. Family dentists often carry out this procedure in their dental offices, using a simple local anesthetic to numb the immediate area and reduce the discomfort you might experience.
Dental instruments to elevate the affected tooth and grasp the visible portion will be used, such as an elevator and dental forceps. The elevator is first used to loosen the tooth and then the forceps to grasp the tooth for its extraction.
The tooth will then be wiggled back and forth until the periodontal ligament stretches and breaks enough to loosen the tooth from the alveolar bone so that it now can be removed. This then requires applying a controlled force on the tooth with steady pressure from the dental forceps to extract the tooth.
Surgical Dental Extraction
A surgical dental extraction involves the removal of a tooth that is not easily accessible inside your mouth. This could be because they have not erupted through the gumline completely or they have been fractured under the gumline.
In this situation, it will be necessary to make an incision into the connective tissue surrounding the tooth to gain access to the tooth for extraction. The soft tissues that cover the tooth might be elevated, or a drill may be needed to remove some of the jawbone during the extraction procedure.
Comparing Simple and Surgical Extraction
Both versions of dental extraction help reduce the overall risk of complications, like infection, pain, and inflammation. Other complications possible with both types of dental extraction include:
- A dry socket caused by the premature loss of the blood clot that is crucial following extraction.
- Delayed healing can occur from medications such as bisphosphonates or corticosteroids, which should be temporarily ceased before your dental extraction to reduce the risk of complications.
- Osteoradionecrosis or secondary bone death if you have a history of radiation treatment in the area of the head and neck.
- The movement of your remaining natural teeth leads to misalignment of teeth and an altered bite, which can damage other healthy teeth.
- The loss of vertical dimension of occlusion, or the collapse of your bite, can lead to changes in muscle contractions needed to chew and consequent issues such as dry lips.
Simple tooth extractions are preferred whenever it is feasible, because they are easier to perform and are associated with fewer adverse effects than surgical tooth extractions. There is not usually a choice between the two options, a simple tooth extraction is carried out if the tooth is accessible, but a surgical extraction is the only method available for teeth that are not visible or easily accessible.