Almost everyone at least once in their life came across a dentist's words: "An operation is needed here." And we fall into a stupor. What kind of operation? How is she going? What to prepare for? To understand these issues will help this article.
Tooth structure
Before the operation, many do not even know what a neck of a tooth is. Therefore, before figuring out how the tooth extraction process goes, we need to understand its structure. Our small organs can:
- Bite and chew food.
- Improve the digestive system. After all, well-ground food is good for our stomach.
- To form a sound. For example, the sound "C" is obtained using a stream of air passed through tightly clenched teeth.
- Attract attention. Yes Yes! Beautiful and well-groomed teeth always arouse interest.
A healthy person has 32 teeth in his mouth. They are divided into 4 types:
- Four upper and four lower teeth. They are located in the center, have a cutting edge. They are called incisors. We bite off food with them.
- Next to them are fangs. Their pointed appearance helps us tear off pieces of food.
- Grinding food is done by premolars. Their shape resembles a prism.
- Premolars are followed by the largest teeth - molars. They are engaged in chewing and grinding food.
Sometimes some teeth are not completely cut through and remain in this form throughout a person’s life. These teeth do not interfere with one, while others try to remove them by surgery.
The tooth is made of cement, periodontal and pulp. Cement is similar in structure to the jaw bone and is the main foundation of our teeth. The periodontum fixes the tooth in the hole, and the pulp takes all the irritating factors and delivers nutrients to the active organ.
This small organ consists of a root, a neck of a tooth and a crown. In more detail the structure can be seen in the picture.
Why is a tooth removed?
What teeth are removed? It is worth noting that both sick and healthy teeth can be removed. But no one is going to delete them just like that. They will only be removed if the small organ is no longer saved or if it is the cause of serious complications in the human body. The main reasons for the removal are:
- A cyst forms at the root of the canine or molar.
- Inflammation in the root or on the gums, which causes tooth decay and the spread of infection.
- The appearance of the so-called wisdom tooth. There are people who feel discomfort because of it, then this tooth is removed.
- The teeth are too close together. They interfere with the installation of dentures or other devices for dental treatment.
- Teeth that damage soft tissue. May also form a malocclusion.
- Complicated tooth fractures.
Operation Features
Each type of tooth has its own characteristics of tooth extraction. There are several of them. They consist in the position of the person during the operation, the type of forceps for tooth extraction, movements.
- Upper incisors and fangs are removed with straight forceps. The dentist captures the tooth with them and begins to perform rotational movements (because the incisors and fangs have a cone-shaped root). If the root is flattened, the movements are pendulum-like (the first movement towards the oral cavity).
- S-shaped forceps are used to remove the upper premolar. The first premolars undergo pendulum movements of the forceps (the first movement from the oral cavity), and the second rotational. Premolars have roots: buccal and palatine.
- With the same forceps, the first and second molars above are pulled out. Their root is complex - 2 buccal and 1 palatine, so rotational movements are unlikely to help here. So here they use movements like a pendulum towards the cheeks.
- The third upper molar is removed with bayonet forceps. It has a fused root, so it is removed first with pendulum-like movements (towards the sky), and then they end with rotational ones.
During the operation, the patient is in a chair in a reclining state. The chair rises so that the tooth to be removed is at the level of the dentist's shoulder. The doctor is either on the right or in front of the patient.
- The lower incisors are removed using the coracoid forceps. First, a small organ is turned out towards the lips, and then the tongue. Rotational movements are not recommended, but small quantities are acceptable.
- Lower fangs will be removed with wider beak-shaped forceps. Pendulum movements (first towards the lips, then the tongue). Rotational movements are final in order to completely free the tooth from the ligaments.
- The premolars at the bottom tear out the same as the lower fangs. Movement towards the cheek and tongue is combined with rotation.
- The first molar is twisted first to the outside, then inside. The second molar is towards the tongue, then the cheeks.
- For surgery on the lower third molar, elevator forceps are used. Unscrewing begins on the lingual side, then moving on to the buccal side.
At these points, the doctor is mainly in front or slightly behind the patient. The lower jaw of the patient should be at the level of the dentist's lowered elbow.
Preparation for surgery
If the tooth is not badly damaged, then preparation for tooth extraction includes:
- medical examination;
- conversation: the dentist will find out if you are allergic to any medications;
- in special cases x-ray.
In pregnant women and patients who have started the inflammatory process, the preparation is a little different.
- The mobility and decay of the tooth, the focus of inflammation, the reaction of the body to extraction are determined.
- An x-ray is taken to determine the number of roots, which teeth were infected. Pregnant women are prescribed only a radiovisiograph.
- Conversation with the patient. The doctor talks about the stages of tooth extraction, the benefits of surgery. If the patient is panicky afraid of dentists, then it is worth drinking sedatives ("Corvalol", motherwort, etc.).
- If the infection has already captured a sufficient part of the oral cavity, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- Consultation with an anesthetist. Your doctor will check for an allergic reaction to painkillers.
- For an hour and a half you need to eat well. So you will not have a strong discharge of saliva, blood coagulation will increase.
- Before tooth extraction, brush your teeth well and rinse your mouth.
Do not drink alcohol and other toxic substances before surgery. An operation usually involves a dental assistant.
What tools are used during surgery?
For each operation using special tools. These are forceps for tooth extraction (the type of tool depends on the tooth being removed), Kupland's chisel, hammer, drill, luxator, elevators (James or Cryer).
Operation stages
- Checking the patient for an allergy to anesthesia. History taking. Included in one of the stages of preparation for the operation.
- Enter pain medication. Usually its action is from 40 minutes to one hour.
- Exfoliation of the gums from the tooth using special tools. This process is called syndesmotomy. Avoids damage to soft tissues during surgery.
- Tooth loosening. The forceps are placed on the small organ (above the bone tissue), they are tightly fixed and they begin to loosen the tooth using various movements (depending on the type of tooth). Thus, the organ comes off the ligaments.
- Removal of a tooth. After loosening, the tooth is easily removed.
- At this stage of tooth extraction, bone remains are removed from the hole.
- The hole is treated with an antiseptic, then (if there is inflammation) an anti-inflammatory dressing is applied.
- On average, tooth extraction takes about 30-40 minutes. Sometimes they suture the gums.
The steps of a tooth extraction operation may vary. In case when the tooth cannot be extracted with forceps, the gum is incised. If the operation is complex, then a dental assistant may be present in the office.
Postoperative care
- After the operation, do not remove the fleece or rinse the oral cavity. So you only increase the bleeding.
- Refrain from brushing your teeth and eating solid foods. You can damage the open hole and introduce bacteria there. Chewing food is on a healthy half.
- Apply cold compresses, drink painkillers as needed. If the pain persists for five days, then you should again consult a doctor.
- Sleep well on the healthy side.
- Rinse your mouth with antiseptic drugs. Keep the solution in a sore spot for 1-3 minutes, and then spit it out.
- There are also special gels that accelerate wound healing. They are applied in a thick layer to the gum. After application, do not eat for 30 minutes.
- Pain in the ears, throat, head, opening the mouth, discomfort during the consumption of hot or cold food, bruises at the site of the operation are absolutely normal. However, if they are delayed for a long time, then you should consult a dentist.
- In general, a doctor’s consultation is necessary within a month after the operation.
The rules of daily dental care
Learned how to remove damaged teeth? Now let's talk about leaving.
- Brushing teeth should start from the same place. If you clean first on the right, then this will always be your starting point.
- Clean the teeth in a specific sequence. Start on the right, then move forward, then go left, etc.
- Carefully brush around the entire perimeter of the jaw.
- Move the brush in oval movements. Scrubbing across will quickly erase the enamel.
- Clean the tongue with the other side of the brush. It also accumulates a large number of bacteria.
Good daily care will help you: high-quality toothpaste and brush, chewing gum (use only for cleaning, do not abuse it), dental floss, toothpicks, mouthwash, irrigator (removes plaque).
It should be remembered that everyone should have personal hygiene products. Never use someone else's toothbrushes. Imagine a situation: a person with AIDS brushes his teeth and accidentally scratches his gum. Infected blood enters the villi. Then another person uses this brush and also scratches his gum. Infected blood enters the wound.
It is also worth visiting a dentist at least once every six months.
Diseases that may lead to surgery
We figured out the steps of tooth extraction, but with the diseases that will lead to this, no.
- Abscess. At first a swelling appears, and then a small ball filled with pus. Appears due to advanced caries and periodontal disease, infection in an open wound.
- Pulpitis also appears due to untreated carious foci. Intolerable pain and spreading infection require urgent medical attention.
- Periostitis has the common name flux, it also refers to infectious diseases. If it is not treated in a timely manner, then the blood will become infected with viruses in the focus of inflammation. Then you have to treat not only the teeth, but the whole body.
- Tooth cyst. A tumor containing pus inside is at the root. Requires an immediate trip to the doctor.
- Caries. The most harmful sore. Unwanted bacteria begin to develop from her, and it is she who leads you to the dentist's office. Everyone needs to treat such problems: both children and adults. And even more so it’s definitely not worth it to delay it.
What will result in tooth loss?
Our small organs primarily support the volume and density of the jaw bone. With tooth loss or extraction, its volume decreases by 25% per year. Neither prostheses nor any other means will help here. They will only increase the rate of change of the bite, decrease the height of the face, pushing the chin forward and lowering the corners of the lips. In addition, infectious diseases pose a huge risk to your entire body. Any entry into the blood of harmful bacteria is the beginning of a serious illness.
It is easier to prevent the disease at an early stage than to suffer later with subsequent complications.
If you are afraid to visit the dentist, then write on the sheet your specific fears. Go to the doctor and consult with him about all your concerns. Do not believe stories from movies or "funny" stories. Indeed, today in dentistry the most modern devices are used that do not make terrifying sounds and do not bring absolutely no pain.
In addition, healthy teeth, the absence of bad breath decorate you and your smile.
Moreover, having bad teeth, you will have to give up various foods. From sweets, from nuts, vegetables, fruits. But these are our main sources of vitamins. Judge for yourself: there will be no wholesome food - there will be no benefit to the body. You will be in dire need of pills - vitamins. But no one has canceled the side effects after them.
Now carefully weigh everything: one visit to the dentist for prevention or intolerable pains, constant sores and trips to many doctors? After all, you already know the steps of tooth extraction! Why be afraid of a simple trip to the dentist? Appreciate yourself, your health and teeth. Go to the dentist if something bothers you. Do not bring to a deplorable state.