Extractions & Wisdom Tooth Surgery
A dental extraction refers to the process of tooth removal or tooth “pulling”. We know how hard it is to say goodbye. During your orthodontic consultation with us, we will assess whether there is any way to save the tooth before making the final decision for tooth removal.
Why do I need an extraction?
Extractions are usually a last resort when a tooth is deemed irreparable. This could mean that the tooth is either too damaged by decay or the tooth support has been destroyed by gum disease. Sometimes extractions are needed in order to straighten teeth during braces treatment. Book a consultation with us today to find out whether you need an extraction.
What is the extraction process like?
Your comfort is important to us. Before the extraction, our dentist will calmly walk you through the procedure. To make your experience as painless as possible, we begin by placing a layer of numbing cream on your gums before applying an anaesthetic solution. Once your tooth and gums are completely numb, our dentist will proceed to carefully and skillfully loosen the tooth and remove it.
What is the follow-up care after my tooth extraction?
Post-extraction care is very important. We strive to minimize your discomfort by providing you with adequate pain medication. The gauze pack placed over the wound should be replaced as required to control bleeding. We would advise soft diet or chewing on the other side of the mouth for the following 5 days.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth - the third molars at the back of our mouths - are the last teeth to grow out. They usually appear around the age of 18. Our wisdom teeth aren’t the smartest with navigation — they often grow out in the wrong positions! When they are prevented from growing out normally, they are impacted.
Wisdom tooth impaction, adapted from British Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
Wisdom teeth often remain partially or totally covered, that’s why we often require an x-ray to check for their presence and position. We will carefully analyse the x-ray and advise whether it needs to be removed, and if so, whether it requires an extraction or minor surgery.
Why do you need to remove impacted wisdom teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth tend to trap food and consequently, bacteria. This can lead to decay and gum infection (periocoronitis), affecting both the wisdom tooth as well as its neighbouring teeth.
Some research has suggested that the developing wisdom tooth may lead to misalignment of the front teeth. After your braces treatment, we may also suggest the removal of your impacted wisdom teeth to prevent your newly-aligned teeth from becoming crooked.
How do you extract wisdom teeth?
The surgery process begins with the application of an anaesthetic solution to numb the area. Then, we will gently push away the gums to expose the wisdom tooth. Any bone covering the tooth will be gently removed. Following this, the tooth is slowly loosened and removed. If the wisdom tooth is located deep under the gums, we may need to divide the wisdom tooth into smaller pieces to remove it.
After the tooth is removed, we will reposition the gums to cover the space left by the wisdom tooth, then place stitches to hold it in place.
What is the follow-up care after my wisdom tooth surgery?
Post-surgical care is very important. We strive to minimise your discomfort by providing you with adequate pain medication. The gauze pack placed over the wound should be replaced as needed to control bleeding. We would advise soft diet or chewing on the other side of the mouth for the following 5 days. After one week, we will follow up with you to ensure that the recovery process is smooth.
How do I pay for the surgery?
Our clinic is accredited with the Ministry of Health and CPF Board for the processing of Medisave claims. For Singaporeans, Medisave can be used to cover the full fees of your wisdom tooth surgery - you do not need to pay out-of-pocket cash for the treatment. Our clinic staff will process the Medisave claims directly with CPF board on your behalf. If you are a student and do not have sufficient funds in your Medisave, you may use your parent’s Medisave account to cover your surgery fees.