Dental extraction is a surgical procedure to remove a tooth from the oral cavity. It is performed with the help of special tools: pliers, luxator, elevator. It is a procedure that is always performed under local or general anesthesia.
The dentist's first goal is to keep the tooth in the arch, maintain its vitality ("don't pull out the nerve") and preserve its integrity ("minimally invasive preparation", both for fillings/"fillings" and preparation of the tooth for a dental crown: "grindings").
However, there are cases where extraction becomes the treatment of choice, including:
– Teeth heavily affected by caries, which have destroyed the crown of the tooth, and
their restoration becomes impossible;
– Teeth affected by advanced periodontal disease;
– Teeth with fractures at the root level;
– Wisdom teeth, if they are partially erupted (semi-included molars). They injure the surrounding tissues, are incorrectly located, are affected by caries and are difficult to access for correct treatment;
– Included teeth that cannot be brought back into the correct position by orthodontic treatment.
There are also situations where extraction becomes the treatment of choice in the case of intact teeth (which are not affected by caries or periodontal disease), including:
– Extraction performed for orthodontic purposes. When there is pronounced crowding and there is not enough space on the dental arch to be able to achieve the correct alignment of the teeth through the orthodontic appliance. This can be done
only under the guidance of the specialist orthodontist.
– Extraction performed for prosthetic purposes. When we have to perform the restoration of an entire dental arch (maxilla or mandible) with the help of implants and screwed prosthetic works. This can only be done
under the guidance of the surgeon and the prosthetist.
Article written by Dr. Mihai Greblescu – Dentist, periodontology specialist
