How do you prepare for tooth extraction?

Your dentist or your oral surgeon will ask you about your dental history and your medical history prior to a tooth extraction. Your dentist will take an x-ray of the area in order to plan the best way to extract the tooth. If you are having all of your wisdom teeth removed then you may need to get a panoramic x-ray, an x-ray that will take a picture of all of your teeth at one point. It will show several things that will guide in the tooth extraction. The x-ray will show

  • the relationship of your wisdom teeth to the other teeth in your mouth
  • the relationship of the upper teeth to your sinuses
  • the relationship of the lower teeth to the nerves in the jawbone. These are the nerves that give feeling to the lower jaw, the lower lip, the lower teeth, and the chin. This nerve is referred to as the inferior alveolar nerve
  • any infections, bone disease, or tumours that may exist

Health care professionals will prescribe antibiotics before and after the surgeries especially if

  • there is an infection at the time of the surgery
  • your immune system is weakened
  • the surgery is long
  • you have medical conditions

If you are going to have conscious sedation or if you are getting deeper anaesthesia then you should wear clothing with short sleeves or clothing that can be rolled up easily so that the intravenous lines can be placed easily. You will not be allowed to eat or drink anything for six to eight hours before the procedure and you must have someone drive you home after the surgery

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