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Why an Extraction is So Traumatic to Your Gums and Surrounding Teeth

Posted on 3/30/2017 by Clackamas Oral Surgery Office
A man suffering from a missing tooth after an extraction.
Your teeth are an important feature of your mouth. Not only are they essential for chewing (which helps you to properly digest your food), they also control the airflow used for speech. And, of course, a full set of straight, white teeth always makes a great first impression when you smile.

Following a good oral hygiene routine and visiting your dentist regularly helps to keep your teeth healthy and strong, but sometimes things happen, and a tooth needs to be extracted. And an extraction can be rather hard on the gum tissue and surrounding teeth.

Some extractions are simple, and only require wiggling the tooth loose in the socket and removing it with forceps. This can cause minor irritation and swelling of the gum tissue. Complicated extractions, however, require a more involved process. Your gum tissue needs to be cut in order to access the entire tooth.

Removal of Bone

Along with cutting the gum tissue to access the tooth, some extractions require the removal of bone. This can cause problems for surrounding teeth. Your teeth require a sufficient amount of bone mass in order to stay firmly rooted in place.

If bone mass is removed, that strength becomes compromised. Not only that, but removing a tooth starts the process of bone reabsorption (unless replaced with an implant), which will eventually lead to problems for surrounding teeth, such as shifting. Shifting can cause the roots of the adjacent teeth to become exposed, which then leads to temperature sensitivity.

Accidental Damage

In some cases, though rare, your gums and surrounding teeth may be accidentally damaged during the extraction process, as your surgeon has a very small area to work in, and some of the tools do not fit very well in the given space, and can chip surrounding teeth or scratch sensitive gum tissue. Extractions can be traumatic for your gums and surrounding teeth.

If your dentist has recommended one, it is because the benefits outweigh the potential negatives. Contact our office if you have any questions about the trauma that can be caused as well as how to best handle it following your procedure.

Brett Sullivan, DMD, MD
Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon

Clackamas Implant & Oral Surgery Center
9895 SE Sunnyside Rd, Suite P
Clackamas, OR 97015

Ph: 503-662-8744
Fax: 503-652-8992
Email: info@clackamasoralsurgery.com
9895 SE Sunnyside Rd, Suite P, Clackamas, OR 97015