Gentle and Efficient Tooth Extraction at Smile Place Dentistry

An extraction is the process of removing a tooth from your mouth. It is often referred to as pulling a tooth.

What are the Three Types of Extraction?

There are three basic types of extraction:

  • Simple extraction. The dentist is able to remove the tooth in a single piece- that is the whole tooth, the crown and all of the roots. This is by far the most common extraction procedure.
  • Sectional extraction. This type of extraction only relates to teeth that have more than one root- that’s all upper and lower molars and the upper 1st premolar. Sometimes the tooth will not come out all in one piece because of the shape or directions of the roots, or because of the amount of decay in the tooth. In these circumstances, the roots of the tooth can be separated by cutting in between them with a bur. This allows each root to be taken out individually.
  • Surgical extraction. If the tooth to be removed is particularly difficult, then a surgical approach may be needed. This is the case, if the tooth either hasn’t come fully through the gum yet (i.e. impacted), or has broken off below the gum line and the dentist can’t remove it by normal methods. The procedure involves reflecting your gum (raising a flap) to expose the bone that is holding in your tooth or root. Some of this bone will be then removed with a bur, just enough to allow the dentist to be able to lever out the tooth or root fragment. Sometimes the roots may also need to be separated as described above. The gum flap will then need to be replaced and held together by stitches, to allow healing. These stitches may be resorbable or they may not (meaning you would have to have them removed about a week later). Taking out stitches is very simple, pretty painless and takes only a few seconds to do. Occasionally, they fall out on their own in the meantime- this is generally not a problem.

The dentist will inform you after looking at the x-ray and examining your mouth, which approach is most likely and the anticipated cost of the extraction. Bear in mind, that sometimes, it is not until we (the dentist) make a start that we know the approach that is going to be necessary, and should the tooth awkwardly fracture when attempting a simple extraction, we might need to progress to a sectional or surgical extraction to remove it.

Locations

Come see our dentists at:

Smile Place
Forrest Hill Dental

249 Canterbury Road
Forest Hill 3131
Map Link
03 9877 3724 Book An Appointment

Smile Place
Glen Iris Dental

38 High Street
Glen Iris 3146
View Map
03 9048 1026 Book An Appointment

Smile Place
Tecoma Dental

1586 Burwood Highway
Tecoma 3160
View Map
03 9754 2148 Book An Appointment