Does getting a tooth pulled out hurt? If you’re a patient needing a tooth extracted, the potential for pain is likely a key concern that you’ll have before your surgery. While some pain and discomfort should be expected, modern dental techniques and anaesthesia can help make the experience much more manageable than it would have been in the past.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the entire tooth extraction process from start to finish, explain the pain management options available to you and help you understand what to expect – both during and after your procedure. If you’ve already had a tooth extracted and you’ve been left in severe pain, or you believe your dentist made a mistake, we may be able to help you open a dental negligence claim against your dentist.
To find out more about the dental negligence claims process, please contact our expert team on 0800 152 2043. Alternatively, you can start your dental claim here.
The Tooth Extraction Process: Everything You Need to Know
It’s important that you understand the teeth extraction process, as it will hopefully put your mind at ease. Every procedure is different and the process may differ depending on the location of the tooth being pulled out, the number of teeth that are affected, and whether the procedure is classed as a simple extraction or not.
After your dentist has taken an x-ray film of the affected tooth and discussed the relevant options and risks of treatment with you, and you have decided to have your tooth removed, tooth extraction surgeries usually follow these steps:
The first stage is to administer a local anaesthetic injection to numb the affected area. For complex surgical extractions (or if you have a particular fear of the dentist), you may also be offered a sedative so you are less anxious about the procedure.
If a simple extraction is required. Dental forceps will be used to loosen the tooth, and then steadily and carefully remove it from the dental socket. Your dentist may have to carefully rock the tooth backwards and forwards to remove it. This is part of the normal extraction procedure, and whilst you may feel some pressure, this isn’t anything to worry about.
However, for more complex surgical tooth extractions, you may need to have an oral surgeon carry out the procedure. If the tooth hasn’t come through the gum, your surgeon will need to make a small incision in the gum. If any bone is blocking the tooth’s root, bone removal may also be required.
The tooth will be then removed from the gum – the tooth and roots may have to be cut into sections to remove it properly. If an incision is required, your oral surgeon will then seal the gum incision with self-dissolving sutures or stitches, which will usually disappear in a maximum of ten days.
A piece of gauze may be placed over the extraction site, which you’ll need to hold for a set time period to stop the bleeding and allow a blood clot to form. Blood clots are essential to the healing process, so you should avoid dislodging them when they appear.
If everything has gone as planned, your surgery will be over. You may be prescribed painkillers or antibiotics, but this isn’t always the case.
As we mentioned at the outset, your dentist should have already gone through all the side effects, risks and alternative treatments at your initial dental appointment before your tooth extraction, gaining valid consent from you to have the extraction.
Your dentist should also provide the correct aftercare advice too, which may include information on creating an optimal oral hygiene routine to prevent future tooth decay. If your dentist fails to gain your consent to the treatment or does not provide the correct aftercare advice and something goes wrong, you may be able to open a dental negligence case against them.
Do Tooth Extraction Procedures Hurt?
Whilst you may feel a little discomfort at times, your dentist will always give you some form of local anaesthesia for your surgery – sedatives may also be given to patients with strong dental anxiety.
The three main types of anaesthesia available to you are:
- Local anaesthesia: Your dentist will use a numbing substance or a local anaesthetic injection to numb the extraction site. It won’t remove all feeling from the area, and you may feel some movement and pressure, but local anaesthesia should prevent any pain. It’s usually administered for simple surgical procedures and you will be safe to drive afterwards.
- Sedation anaesthesia: If you suffer from dental anxiety and struggle to relax during surgery, you may be given a stronger form of sedation anaesthesia. You could be offered medication or nitrous oxide, or in some cases, sedatives via an IV line in your arm. Sedation anaesthesia is typically used for more complicated surgical extractions – you’ll be awake throughout the procedure, but you will feel drowsy (so you cannot drive afterwards), and you’ll have limited memory of the procedure.
- General anaesthesia: General anaesthesia is the strongest form of sedation offered, used rarely in dental practices. It can be administered by either inhalation or an IV in your arm and once started, you’ll lose consciousness and go to sleep. General anaesthesia for dental treatment is not routine but it may be used when extracting wisdom teeth.
If you need assistance with anxiety you will be given at least one of these forms of sedation before your treatment starts, so you should not feel any pain during the extraction procedure itself.
Managing Your Pain After a Tooth Extraction
Due to the use of sedatives and local anaesthetic injections, you probably won’t feel anything more than a bit of pressure during the procedure. However, it’s unlikely that you will experience no pain after tooth extraction, and some discomfort is to be expected. If your pain suddenly gets worse or becomes severe, you should speak to a medical professional or your dentist to check that everything is healing as planned.
Cold compresses can help to reduce any post-operative swelling that may occur, and it’s also recommended that you consume soft, cool foods and use a saltwater rinse to keep the area clean but only once there has been enough time for a blood clot to form and stabilise.
Salty water can remove food debris from your mouth, although you can also use mouthwash instead – just make sure that you wait 30 minutes after brushing your teeth. This is because using mouthwash after brushing your teeth will wash away the fluoride left on your teeth and gums, which is necessary for good oral health.
It’s also advised that you avoid poor dental habits, such as smoking tobacco products and drinking alcohol. You mustn’t dislodge the blood clot on the extraction site either, so you should also rest and avoid heavy exercise for a couple of days.
Your dentist should provide you with the appropriate tooth extraction aftercare instructions following your surgery – if they don’t and something goes wrong with the healing process, you may be able to open a dental claim against them.
What Are the Side Effects Associated with Tooth Extraction Surgeries?
Like all dental treatments, there are several side effects and risks associated with tooth extraction procedures. The chances of something negative occurring like this after your surgery are unlikely, but it’s still important to make yourself aware of the issues that can arise if your surgery is not carried out properly.
Common risks and side effects of tooth extraction procedures include:
- Dry socket
- A fractured jaw or teeth
- Severe pain
However, things such as wrong tooth extraction and fractured jaws are rare, so it’s important to try not to worry about these oral health issues occurring.
Your dentist has a duty of care to tell you about any risks, side effects and alternative treatments available before your surgery starts, as part of the informed consent procedure. If your dentist does not do this and something goes wrong, you may be able to open a dental negligence claim against your dentist.
Tooth Extraction Gone Wrong? Get Help from the Dental Law Partnership
We hope that we’ve adequately explained the answer to the question, ‘Does getting a tooth pulled hurt?’ The tooth extraction surgery itself should be virtually painless due to the numerous sedation options available, although you may feel a bit of pressure at times.
You may feel some pain afterwards, but it can be easily managed with your usual painkillers, so there really should be nothing to worry about, as most tooth extractions are completed without any problems. However, if something does go wrong during your surgery and you think your dentist was responsible, you may be able to start the dental negligence claims process.
As the UK’s premier dental negligence law firm, our team of expert dental solicitors can help you through the entire process from start to finish – find out more about how to prove negligence in our in-depth guide here.
To find out more about opening a dental negligence case, please contact our dedicated team here or request a callback.