Extractions

San Antonio Wisdom Teeth Extraction and IV Sedation

Dr. Parsi is one of only a few general dentists in San Antonio that received advanced certification in IV sedation for surgical extractions. He performs IV sedation on most patients needing wisdom teeth removed, as the experience of dental extractions is much more comfortable, and often forgotten. While not necessary, Dr. Parsi offers IV sedation for any patient wanting to “be asleep” for the procedure, yet have the safety of still being able to breathe on their own in a deeply relaxed state. To learn more about our San Antonio IV Sedation please visit the IV Sedation page.

Oral Surgery/Extraction Precautions

Dry socket: We make every effort to avoid our patients from getting dry socket after having oral surgery. Detailed instructions will be given before and after your procedure for your benefit. Dry sockets occur in less than 5% of routine extractions, and 25% of lower 3rd molar extractions. The symptoms of dry socket include severe pain between the third and fifth day after treatment, and possible tissue swelling. While dry socket will generally heal on its own, we want to provide every opportunity to keep our patients happy in the event that a dry socket occurs. This will typically consist of placing a soothing paste, prescribing pain medication, and altering your diet.
Nerve injury: The lingual and inferior alveolar nerves run near the surgical site of lower wisdom teeth and supply sensation and taste to the genera area. While nerve injuries are often temporary, nerve damage should never be overlooked, and it’s important to inform Dr. Parsi of any prolonged feelings of anesthesia (lack of feeling) to rule out long-term nerve damage.
Damage to existing dental work: If the teeth near the tooth to be extracted have crowns or other restorations on them, there is a risk of damaging those restorations during tooth extraction. Extreme caution is common protocol, but there is a possibility.
Damage to surrounding areas: While it is rare, injury may occur around the sinus cavity or jaw depending on how the tooth needed to be extracted. Any injury will be treated promptly and effectively.  Rest assured, every precaution is taken to preserve surrounding tissues and structures.

Types of Conditions Requiring Oral Surgery

Impacted teeth
Malocclusion (pre-orthodontic treatment)
Cysts, tumors or abscesses
Partial eruption leading to an operculum
Oral cancer diagnosis and excision
Severely decayed or fractured teeth

Types of Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is normally performed when the patient is young because the roots have not yet fully set in the jaw, and the patient is healthy enough to quickly recover. Once the teeth are anchored, extraction becomes more difficult and requires a longer recovery time.

Simple Extraction

This kind of extraction is performed for those whose teeth have already erupted.   Nitrous Oxide or Oral Sedation are typically recommended for these more straightforward procedures. During a simple extraction, the dentist will apply a local anesthetic, numbing the area but not rendering the patient unconscious. The tooth will then be lifted using an elevator and removed from the mouth with forceps. Dr. Parsi performs this process slowly so as not to break the tooth during extraction, and to eliminate discomfort.

Surgical Extraction

This type of procedure is done for those whose teeth have not yet erupted or who have complications like large or curved roots.    During a surgical extraction, Dr. Parsi may administer an IV anesthetic, which will render the patient relaxed but conscious. Dr. Parsi will then make an incision to facilitate removal. Often, the tooth will be sectioned (cut in smaller pieces) to ease the extraction. Again, all of this is done with the help of a local anesthetic. Local anesthetics such as Lidocaine leave the sensation of pressure but takes away all pain! (Scare dental movies wouldn’t be scary if they had today’s pain-free technology).

Patient Experience

Your experience with oral surgery will vary based the complexity the extraction performed. Nonetheless, our goal that we’ve been successfully achieving for over 17 years is to provide virtually pain-free surgery in the most comfortable setting possible. Below is a list of what to expect if you’re planning on having oral surgery.

All procedures will begin with a consultation process where you will be shown any issues, current or potential, with your teeth along with a course of action.
Regardless of the type of anesthetic used, you will experience numbness and possibly difficulty chewing or speaking following your procedure. This is only temporary.
Recovery time will vary based on what type of procedure was used. A simple, non-surgical extraction will require less time to heal than a surgical extraction.
Inflammation to some degree is generally present after surgery. You will be given instructions for effectively managing pain and swelling.
Your dentist will provide you with a list of foods to avoid and how to care for your wounds during your recovery period.
Bruising and bleeding is normal, part of the healing process, and will resolve in a few days.
Your dentist may or may not use stitches to close the incision. Some stitches will dissolve on their own while others require a follow-up visit to remove.
You will also need to abstain from smoking during the first 24-72 hours following surgery and should avoid activities that may loosen the blood clots, such as drinking through a straw or rinsing your mouth out. This is a CRITICAL part of healing and preventing dry socket.

Do you have questions about extractions, or want to learn more about how to treat dental pain? Check our our Oral Surgery FAQ page, call us, or come visit Parsi General & Children Dentistry in San Antonio and we’ll gladly answer any questions you might have! Parsi General & Children Dentistry – Proudly offering dental veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening, Invisalign, wisdom teeth extractions, IV sedation, and comprehensive family dentistry to the San Antonio area since 1998.