Routine exodontia: preventing failed extractions

Abstract

Dental extractions are potentially an unpleasant experience that patients have to undergo. Not only are they losing a tooth that they may have invested significant costs in retaining, but fear and expectation of pain makes the encounter stressful and terrifying for most.Dental extractions are the most common surgery undertaken worldwide, and usually on conscious patients, unlike other branches of surgery. Patients' most common fear of the dentist is the pain during and after surgery and the experience of injections, both guaranteed when undergoing extractions at the dentist.Despite universities aiming to make undergraduate dentists able to undertake routine exodontia, ability remains limited. This may be due to foundation training limiting access to routine exodontia practice or a reluctance on behalf of dentists in general to undertake surgical interventions due to their high risk, patient sequelae or risk of complications, which are perceived as poor practice builders.CPD/Clinical Relevance: This paper aims to provide some clinical tips and information that will assist practitioners in undertaking dental extractions.