Extraction, dental

Removal of teeth by a dentist. Extraction may be performed when a tooth is severely decayed or too badly broken to be repaired, or when an abscess (see abscess, dental) has formed. Teeth may also be removed if there is crowding or malocclusion, if the teeth are loose due to gum disease, or if they are preventing another tooth from erupting (see eruption of teeth). For most extractions, local anaesthesia is used (see anaesthesia, dental). Teeth are usually extracted with dental forceps, which grasp the root of the tooth. In difficult extractions, some gum and bone may also need to be removed from around the tooth.

 

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