Tooth Extraction

If you need a tooth extraction, your dentist will give you a local anaesthetic, so you don’t feel pain. They will then use a special tool to loosen the tooth in the gum and remove it with forceps. If your tooth extraction is more complicated, you will be referred to an oral surgeon. After your tooth has been removed, your dentist will need to ensure the gum socket is clean.

Sometimes you also need a cut in the gum to help remove the tooth, meaning you may also need a stitch to close the cut. Bleeding is common so your dentist may ask you to bite on a piece of gauze to stop the bleeding. Once the anaesthetic wears off, there may be some pain which can be managed with prescribed or over-the-counter pain relief medicine. You may also need to eat soft foods and chew on the unaffected side of your mouth for a while.