What You Should Know About Preparing For Multiple Tooth Extractions

Tooth extraction may seem to be a very simple procedure. That is if we are talking only about one tooth. With multiple tooth extractions, it’s a different story.

More and more patients present with severe dental problems from multiple tooth decay to advanced generalized periodontitis or infection.

These dental conditions are most often best dealt with by full-mouth extractions because the teeth have been affected by extensive caries and periodontal disease to the extent that no other treatment is possible.

In each and every situation of a multiple tooth extraction, a professional dentist is well-prepared to deal with these situations. Removing a tooth is still an art and it requires the expertise of a well-trained oral surgeon.

It is likewise a need that the professional assessment of the position and the knowledge of the risks that this procedure might involve is considered.

The question that remains to be answered is: How do you prepare for multiple tooth extractions?

To get to the answer to this question, let’s study some frequently asked questions related to multiple tooth extractions.

Can You Get All Your Teeth Pulled At Once?

There is no limit in tooth extractions that you can get in one visit to your dentist.

However, dental specialists follow certain limitations before deciding to give you multiple tooth extractions.

The limit is determined according to the following aspects:

• The extent of difficulty of the extraction
• The health of the patient
• The capacity of the dental surgeon who will be doing the procedure
• The location of the teeth that are going to be extracted

Many dental practitioners would usually advise patients not to go through simultaneous extractions of more than two teeth because of practical reasons.

Most dentists would prefer to extract teeth by section instead of extracting the whole teeth in one visit.

Whatever the case, it is safe to have multiple tooth extractions depending on the agreement you and your dentist have.

Your dentist will know the best approach to extracting several of your teeth.

Does Getting Multiple Tooth Extraction hurt?

If one tooth extraction hurts, getting multiple tooth extraction can hurt as well.

However, every tooth extraction procedure is dealt with by using local anesthesia during the procedure to eliminate pain.

Since anesthesia wears off, your dentist will most likely prescribe an over-the-counter pain medication to help you manage the pain after the extraction.

Other options to eliminate pain during multiple tooth extraction include:

• Sedation anesthesia with Nitrous oxide or laughing gas or through intravenous (IV) line
• General anesthesia is administered by inhalation through your nose or by IV in your arm

These types of sedation depend on your dental anxiety and the complexity of the procedure.

Your health condition is also a big factor. When you are suffering from an anxiety disorder or if you have dental phobia, you will need sedation to help you relax during the procedure.

How Do You Take Care Of Multiple Tooth Extractions?

Recovery time after multiple tooth extraction will vary depending on the type of extraction you received.

After you get enough rest, use cold packs, and pain medication, you will be required to have follow-up visits to your dentist to make sure you heal properly.

You can expect a recovery time similar to a single tooth extraction which is being able to return to your normal activities in 7-10 days.

However, if there was an impacted wisdom tooth included in the extraction, expect that complete healing can take months. But, you can resume normal activities in two weeks or less.

What to Expect When You Have Multiple Teeth Pulled?

The multiple tooth extraction procedure can be performed under either local or general anesthesia depending on the extent of the surgery and your health condition.

The basic procedure dental specialists follow for multiple tooth extractions is:

1. You will be placed under a local anesthetic, general anesthesia, or sedation, whichever your dentist will recommend for your condition.
2. Your dentist will use a tool called an elevator to loosen each tooth in the gum. You will not feel pain but you will feel pressure against your tooth. You may also hear grinding and cracking of bone or teeth. If you feel pain during this step, you should notify your dentist immediately.
3. For multiple tooth extraction, your dentist might pull out teeth in quadrants, one by one.
4. A thick layer of gauze will be placed over the extraction site and you will have to bite on it with firm and consistent pressure to absorb the blood and start the clotting process.

If you’re getting sedation, including nitrous oxide, you will need someone to drive you home. Anesthesia can impair your judgment, which makes it unsafe for you to operate a car.

Tips For the After-Care of Multiple Tooth Extraction

Knowing what to expect after a multiple tooth extraction procedure can help minimize your discomfort, accelerate your recovery, and help you know how to prepare for multiple tooth extraction.

These are some post-procedure outcomes and how you can deal with them:

1. Swelling and Discoloration

   After multiple tooth extraction, you might feel some swelling and bruising around the eye or face because your bone must often be shaped or smoothed to allow for dentures.

   Apply ice to the face for the first 36 hours after the procedure and then switch to a warm moist towel to help minimize discomfort.

2. Pain

   Minimal pain can be eased with over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol. Visit your dentist if the pain persists. If an antibiotic has been prescribed, take them as directed by your dentist.

3. Wound Care

   Consistently biting on a gauze pad is the best way to stop bleeding after surgery. You will have to call your dentist if the bleeding continues.

   Use prescription mouthwash if your dentist recommended it. Otherwise, a simple salt-and-water rinse will help prevent infection.

4. Stay Hydrated

When your mouth is healing, especially your gums, water, and fluids will help you more quickly. Eat soft foods before you go back to your regular diet. Be gentle on your healing gums.

Visit Your Dentist

Before a multiple tooth extraction and after the procedure, it is important that you visit your dentist.

The pre-visit will help you understand what will happen during the procedure and what you will expect to happen.

The post-visit which is a follow-up dental appointment will assure you if you are healing well and will prevent the development of other issues.

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Elements Dental Spa Family Dentistry offers a variety of dental care services and treatments in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Led by Dr. Cecilia L. Luong, her team of dentists have been assisting clients with different teeth, gum, and mouth problems.

Contact Us now to schedule your appointment!