Wellness

[Travone]

I just had this done.  After having a root canal and gum surgery they decided the tooth couldn't be saved (would have been nice to know that several thousand of dollars earlier).  Anyway, went in and had novacane and they pulled the tooth.  I had gauze in my mouth for a few hours.  I had to change it when it got too bloody.  Be careful brushing in that area for awhile.  Do not spit or use a straw for awhile.  When brushing your teeth let the water/toothpaste roll out of your mouth not spitting it out.  Your dentist will give you all your post surgery instructions.  Some dentist give you a few stitches....mine did not.

I drove myself home.  Put ice on my face every 20 minutes for a few hours and that was it.  I would suggest not taking aspiri before the procedure as it will cause you to bleed more.  If you have any artificial joints (knees/hips) make sure to take your pre surgery meds as you would before a cleaning.

I opted against getting an implant as my insurance does not cover it and I've already spent more than enough on this tooth.

All in all, nothing to worry about. 

[fthunt]

I've been in the chair many times.....my thoughts

dentist love to 'try and save' a tooth beyond hope.  More business for them in the future. 

If tooth is bad - abscessed it has to come out or poison from that can/will get in your blood stream

Never leave a 'hole' where tooth has been.  Get a replacement ASAP.  In your case (and mine) a bridge is the answer or a partial.  Partial will have to be removed daily for cleaning.  That's your decision

Pro-tooth pullers are such pros at what they do.  I always go for Novocaine - it takes so long to come out from under the drug they give you.....whereas Novocaine you're ready to leave and drive yourself (if that's an issue) in half hour. 

Pain after isn't a big deal.   Don't wash your mouth - let the blood clot form.  You might be sore a little..........but recovery is a day or two.

Best wishes and set up a payment schedule with dentist if needed; but don't leave a space going forward.

[Denise in PA]

I had a molar extracted a year ago and it was not difficult at all.  I had novacaine.  No pain, no sounds of the tooth being extracted and very little bleeding after.  I did not need any pain relief med.  I left the office with gauze in my mouth and by the time I got home (10 minutes) I removed the gauze and put fresh gauze in.  In about 2 hours the bleeding had stopped.

It was very easy.

I elected not to get any bridge or other apparatus to replace the tooth.

I wish the best for you as you go through the process.

[Reilley]

I also had a root canal on a molar and mine failed, needed a second one. I had to have the molar extracted. 

I chose to have an implant which my dentist and periodontist advised, With an implant it helps to keep the bone healthy.

I was given pain killer and I used it for one day. The only swelling I had was on the gum and it lasted for just a few days.

If I remember correctly, it takes approximately six months for the procedure to be complete. 

Afterwards you’ll need to be thorough in cleaning between the gum and the bottom of the fake tooth.  Your dentist or periodontist will show you how to clean.

I suggest an implant. A bridge can pose problems with the adjoining teeth and it doesn’t’ feel as natural as an implant.

I was also thorough with cleaning my oral hygiene, but, these things happens.

I was 66 when I had the implant, no problems with it.

[drizzellla]

I went to an oral surgeon to have a tooth removed. The tooth had a root canal previously. And when my dentist put a new crown on the tooth above, it must have been a bit "off". So it made the tooth below (that had an implant) wiggle a bit. The wiggle tooth cracked the tooth next to it with the root canal. The crack went north to south. So I needed that tooth pulled.

I had xrays done by my dentist. But the oral surgeon insisted that he had his own xrays done. The dental hygienist cut off half the tooth in the xray so you could only part of the top of the tooth. The oral surgeon was not happy. So I had to get a 360 degree xray done. The oral surgeon was beside himself and took it out on me. 

He shot me with novacaine. And then immediately pulled my tooth.  The novacaine had not taken effect yet. So I might as well have had nothing. It hurt when he pulled the tooth but as soon as the tooth was out, there was little or no pain.

I say go with the implant once the tooth is out. It really isn't that bad. 

[Pook]

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@jlkz wrote:

@2blonde 

Before the appt., start with aspirin / Motrin for dental pain.  This will prevent you from “ chasing after any pain “ after the procedure.  The pain killing ingredients will have started before the pain so you shouldn’t have as much, if any.

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@2blonde  Not a good idea to take aspirin before the appointment as it could lead to excessive bleeding!  I know the pre instruction I was given by the oral surgeon stresed this!

My situation was the same as yours and I had some throbbing after which was relieved by Tylenol which was recommended by the surgeon.

[gizmogal]

I’m sure all the anecdotal accounts and advice here are perfectly valid.  There is also professional followup information your oral surgeon will provide and do look over some good sources to consult below :

https://www.animated-teeth.com/tooth_extractions/t6_extraction_instructions.htm

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/pulling-a-tooth-tooth-extraction#1

https://guerradental.com/the-dos-and-donts-after-a-tooth-extraction/

The references from good advice on this forum and elsewhere to a “dry socket” are not meant to scare you, but you have to understand you must give the extraction site time to put the clot in place and stabilize. If you remain active and go home and call your friends/family  talking and yapping all about it, you will risk a condition that is painful, complicated and will need professional management. But if you scrupulously avoid the extra difficulty of a dry socket by being respectful of your body and attentive to instructions immediately following the surgery and overnight, you will find the next day and days following really pretty pain free and tolerable. Every day you will feel better and heal faster than you’d expect. 

The bottom line for the first several hours after you get home:

lay down and shut up. 

Just rest, take meds as prescribed if required, don’t prove how strong or resilient you are. Stay off the phone. Eat soft foods like eggs, soup, yogurt, etc. so no worries about chewing on the other side.

 Ignore the stories of horrible things that went wrong told to you about your hairdresser’s brother’s wife’s cousin. Someone somewhere is ready to tell you only about misery. Ignore that. 

It’s much less traumatic to go through than to think about.  Wishing you good luck and fast healing. You can do this. 

[donniesmom]

Hi 2Blonde--I worked as a dental assistant for a general dentist & oral surgeon. If the tooth you're having extracted is a molar you should not have a problem. If you need stitches the doctor will do it then. The healing process is quick & most doctors will have you go back in 1 week for a post op. I would highly recommend an oral surgeon to do this. I know general dentists can extract teeth as well but all the dentists I worked for always referred the patient to an oral surgeon. That is their expertise. If it was a 3rd molar (wisdom tooth) some people have some discomfort with it. If you are planning to get an implant be prepared for a long process as there are "stages" to the procedure. It is also expensive. If you plan on a bridge keep in mind the dentist will have to "prep" the tooth behind it and in front of it. Prepping the tooth means each tooth will be filed down and a crown will go over each tooth. This is known as an "abutment" The missing tooth will be a "pontic". I don't know how old you are or your financial status but both procedures are expensive. The implant is most expensive. Insurance companies only cover 50% and some insurance companies don't cover implants at all. I would have your dentist do a "pre authorization" so that way you know what you have to pay out of pocket. As far as the tooth "shifting" yes that does happen but gradually. Again, it depends on your age and what you feel is appropriate for your age. In other words if you're young and you have many more years left you may want to consider an implant or bridge. It's a financial decision which some people don't want to make as they get older. I have seen many patients just get the tooth extracted and do nothing else. If you are not missing other molars you won't have a problem chewing as you have other teeth left. It all depends on the individual and how much time and cost they are willing to do. I'm sure your procedure will go well. Please make sure to go to an oral surgeon. They do hundreds of these procedures each week and they are very qualified. Some patients opt for IV sedation if the procedure is very involved and they are nervous & anxious. Good luck with everything and if I can help you with more questions please let me know. I will do my best to assist you as best as I can. 

[KentuckyWoman]

I had a tooth that abscessed several years ago.  Oral surgeon pulled it with anesthesia since the roots were quite deep.  The oral surgeon gave me a prescription for pain but by the next morning I was fine with only minimal swelling and soreness.  I opted for a bridge rather that an implant.  I did have to have the teeth on either side of the extracted tooth capped.  Both had fillings and the dentist thought it would be best to cap them and do a bridge.  That was worse than the extraction!  Not painful.  It just took forever. 

[2blonde]

@donniesmom   Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply.  I actually had both my lower wisdom teeth pulled when I was about 21 (at separate times), and that was easy peasy.  I do remember about the clot being important.

The tooth that needs to be extracted now is #30, which means after it's removed there will only be one tooth left behind it, which already has a crown on it.  I'm 70 years old now, and I tend to have thinner blood and bleed very easily, so that concerns me somewhat.  I don't know how I'll like having a hole there, but the implant sounds so expensive and involved......I guess I'll wait to decide on that.

My dentist did refer me to an oral surgeon for this, as he doesn't do surgical procedures.  Do you have any idea what the cost would be for an implant?  As I've gotten older, it seems like all my extra money is going to medical stuff!