Can You Extract Teeth Without Cutting?

Tooth extraction can be a horrible feeling and the worst nightmare for most people. If your dentist advises you to do a tooth extraction, it means your tooth either cannot be saved by any dental treatment or will be harmful to your oral health if it remains in place or is not extracted immediately.

Even with proper oral and dental care, your tooth age may decay or break. In several cases, it can be repaired with fillings and crowns. But, if the damage or decay is excessive, the tooth should immediately be removed.

What Are The Risks Of Tooth Extractions

There are few risks associated with undergoing tooth extractions, but if it is recommended by your dentist, then it is necessary, and its benefits can likely outweigh the chances of complications.

Usually, after a tooth extraction, a blood clot is formed in the socket or the bone from where the tooth is extracted. But, if the blood clot is not formed, the socket will be left exposed, referred to as a dry socket.

However, if it happens, the dentist will protect it by putting a sedative dressing over it for a few days.

Other risks associated with tooth extraction are –

• Bleeding that lasts for up to or longer than 12 hours
• Severe chills or fever causing infection
• Nausea, vomiting, or cough
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling and redness at the surgical part

Dentists Can Extract Teeth Without Cutting

Tooth extraction is a process of removal of a tooth from its socket. A dentist performs it, usually under local anesthesia. It is a common tooth extraction procedure that is only done when necessary.

Your dentist can extract all teeth without cutting if the tooth damage or decay is not severe and you decide to contact a dentist before worsening it.

A dentist can decide whether he can extract teeth without cutting or if a surgical tooth extraction procedure is required based on several factors, like age and the condition of the teeth and their surrounding tissues.

Some individuals can handle tooth extractions without any issues, while some may experience symptoms like swelling in the face or pain in the jaw joint area after the procedure.

Why Tooth Extraction Is Done

Tooth extraction may not seem complicated, but it should be done by a professional or by visiting an oral surgeon. Some of the most common reasons for tooth removal are –

• Impacted wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars that come through last in the back of your mouth and are usually seen in your late teens or early 20s.

• Severe decay

A tooth decay that has progressed to the point of injection, abscess formation, or loss of a large portion of the tooth.

• Serious broken or fractured teeth

A tooth that has cracked or broken exposes the nerve inside the tooth and causes significant pain that usually requires immediate dental attention.

• The tooth or molar broke

A break at the gumline can expose sensitive nerves, leading to mild pain, potential infection, and it can cause many serious complications if not treated properly.

Simple Extraction

It is a dental procedure in which a dentist removes a visible tooth that’s not cracked or under the gumline or extract all teeth. Dentists prefer simple tooth extraction when a tooth is above the gumline and can be removed by your dentist.

Generally, dentists carry out this procedure using a local anesthetic to numb the affected part and reduce the pain experienced by the patients.

There are certain instruments used to elevate the affected tooth and grasp the visible portion, such as an elevator and dental forceps, to elevate the affected part as needed. The elevator is used to loosen the tooth and forceps to grasp the tooth for extraction.

The tooth is moved back and forth in order to break the periodontal ligament and loosen the tooth from the alveolar bone to make it easily removable. It requires the application of a controlled force on the tooth with steady pressure with the help of dental forceps.

Surgical Extractions

If your dentist needs to remove the gum tissue or bone to extract teeth, then you need surgical extraction. With today’s technology and dental teeth whitening advancement, it can be easily performed with comfort and safety.

There are several reasons why your dentist may recommend you to undergo a surgical tooth extraction. The most common reason is an impacted tooth, which is stuck beneath the gum line and is not visible.

You may need surgical extraction if your tooth is severely damaged or decayed, and it can’t be saved through other dental care or treatments or cannot be removed with simple procedures.

Surgical tooth extraction may also be necessary if you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment and need tooth removal to make room for other teeth.

Post Operative Instructions

After tooth extraction, blood clot formation is important to reduce and stop the bleeding and start the healing process. That’s why dentists advise you to bite on a gauze pad for up to 45 minutes after the surgery.

If the bleeding persists, you must insert another gauze pad and bite for 30 minutes more. You may have to do this several times until the bleeding persists.

• Do not wash your mouth or spit for 24 hours
• Keep your fingers and tongue away from the socket (avoid licking)
• Use an ice pad on the surgical area
• Use prescribed medication to reduce severe pain
• Drink enough fluids, but avoid using straws
• Do not smoke for at least 5 days after surgery
• Avoid any physical activity and do not exercise
• Use warm salt water to wash your mouth after meals
• Include soft foods that are easily swallowed and cool drinks in your diet

Key Takeaways

Although you can experience pain with tooth extraction, whether it is simple (extract teeth without cutting) or surgical tooth extraction, your dentist can eliminate that pain with local anesthesia and medications during the extraction.

Everybody heals from tooth extraction pain at a different rate, and most people will experience tenderness in the area that lasts only for a few days.

Oral Care, The Key To A Healthy Smile

Reference Site-

Oral Surgery, Extraction of Teeth June 1, 2023. [NIH]