A blood clot forms to protect the bone and nerve tissue after a tooth is extracted. It also aids in healing your gums, so it should stay in place until after you’ve healed. You get a dry socket when something moves or destroys the blood clot in the socket.

To prevent a dry socket, you can do the following:

Avoid using straws: The suction movement of air and cheek muscles in straw can dislodge a blood clot. It is best to avoid straws for a week following the extraction.

Avoid smoking: Dry socket after a tooth extraction is much more likely to develop in people who smoke and use tobacco. Smoking can dislodge blood clots quickly through fast inhalation. Additionally, tobacco products contain chemicals that may prevent healing and increase infection risk.

Diet: You should only eat soft foods after surgery on the first day, such as applesauce, yogurt, and mashed potatoes. As you progress on the second day, you can introduce slightly heartier foods, but return to soft foods if you experience any discomfort.

It is essential to avoid soup since sucking may dislodge the blood clot. You should also avoid crunchy foods like chips, nuts, seeds, and sticky foods that may stick in your sockets.

Maintaining good oral hygiene: It is critical to keep your mouth clean in order to avoid dry sockets. By keeping your mouth clean, you prevent germs and infections from causing damage to your blood clot.

Consult your dentist about brushing your teeth after surgery. Your dentist might recommend simply rinsing your mouth and then brushing the next day very gently. Your doctor might prescribe you an antibacterial mouthwash after the surgery.

Extraction is typically the only treatment for a damaged or diseased tooth. Whenever possible, it is best to preserve the teeth instead of losing them. Below are some options to consider before deciding whether to have your teeth extracted.

Root canal: An infection of the pulp or nerve of a tooth requires root canal treatment. An endodontic procedure involves removing the nerve and pulp from the tooth and cleaning and sealing the inside of the tooth.

Apicoectomy: The procedure of removing the end of a root can be performed to save a tooth if inflammation or infection persists around the end of the root after a root canal treatment. A dentist performs this microsurgical procedure to see the underlying bone and remove inflamed or infected tissue near the tooth. The end portion of the root is also removed. In some cases, a filling may be used to seal the end of the root canal, and stitches or sutures will aid in tissue healing. The bone around the root heals over a period of months. The local anaesthetic makes the dental procedure comfortable, so most patients return to their routine the following day. There is usually little postoperative discomfort.

A dental implant can typically be placed ten weeks after tooth extraction. It will allow your mouth to heal from the tooth removal procedure.

Several factors affect the cost of tooth removal. For instance, simple extractions will be less expensive than complex ones. Below are the prices for tooth extractions in Western Australia.

The cost of wisdom tooth removal can cost up to $600, depending on how complex the procedure is. Based on the 2020 national dental fee survey, removing four wisdom teeth under local anaesthesia can cost up to $2,322. Similarly, the cost of removing wisdom teeth under general anaesthesia in Australia is likely to be higher, ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 per tooth.

Simple Extraction – $188 – $259 per tooth

Complex Extraction – $388- $452 per tooth

The type of extraction: The standard rocking and pulling of the teeth at the gumline is less expensive. However, a wisdom tooth that is impacted may necessitate dental surgery and other dental equipment, so it will undoubtedly cost more to remove.

Professional dental fee: While there are guidelines for professional fees created by the Australian Dental Association, the fees for wisdom tooth extraction are not regulated. In addition to the dentist’s expertise, the location of the dental clinic may also affect the cost of simple tooth extractions. It will also raise the treatment cost if a specialist like a dental surgeon is required.

Private health insurance coverage: The range of treatments covered by private health insurance is often more extensive than most public health insurance programs. Be sure to ask your dentist if they accept your insurance benefits before making treatment plans. By doing so, out-of-pocket expenses will be minimized.