Laser Therapy to Reduce Pain and Improve Healing After Tooth Removal

An interesting study titled “The effect of the low-level laser therapy on healing and pain after tooth extraction: a systematic review” written by Ribeiro et al. appears in Oral Surgery in 2017 (vol. 10, pp. 174-183). The article attempts to perform a systematic review to determine if lower level laser therapy improves healing and reduces pain after having a tooth extracted. In the past several similar studies that have been conducted have been discussed on this site see for example Using Laser Therapy after Tooth Extraction to Improve Wound Healing and Can you Use Low Level Laser Therapy After Wisdom Teeth Removal to Reduce Pain?. Low level laser therapy aids in the healing process by providing radiation that is absorbed through cytochromes in the mitochondria and then converted into energy by adenosine-50-triphosphate (ATP) which causes protein synthesis and acceleration of … Read more

How to Safely Remove Your Teeth

Both adults and children need teeth removal at one point. For children, it is a normal and natural process. Sometimes for adults, it is due to problematic teeth or health conditions. Tooth extraction is a delicate process that requires the attention of a trained dentist. For children, you are advised to let the teeth to completely become loose and fall out by itself or have the dentist remove it. Here are some tips when it comes time to remove your teeth: 1. Removing Teeth in Children This is a natural process that happens to every child. According to dentists, you should not try to hurry the process. The teeth will become loose and fall out by themselves or with a little assistance. Trying to pull the teeth too early will cause too much pain for the child. It may also … Read more

Top Do’s and Dont’s To Follow After Tooth Extraction

Tooth extractions are fairly common, but it’s important to get your teeth extracted the right way and follow certain dos and don’ts after the extraction. The after-care process is very important if you want to prevent infection and bone loss. Below are the top do’s and dont’s from Dr. Chaben who is an experienced Livonia dentist from Platinum Dental Care that you should consider following after tooth extraction. Things to Do After Tooth Extraction Immediately after you return home, apply an ice pack to your jaw on the extraction side to reduce swelling. Change the gauze the dentist has packed into your extraction site at least every half hour to prevent infection. Bite down on the gauze for as long as you can, to help the wound clot and start healing. If you continue bleeding for a few hours after … Read more

Bleeding After Dental Extractions in Patients on Warfarin

An interesting article titled “Postoperative Bleeding Following Dental Extractions in Patients Anticoagulated With Warfarin” written by Anthony Febbo and et al. appears in the 2016 Journal or Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery (vol. 74, pp. 1518-1523). The article sought to explore the risk of bleeding in patients on warfarin after dental extraction. Warfarin is the most common anticoagulant used in Australia which can be used to prevent life-threatening thromboembolic events, such as stroke and deep vein thrombosis from occuring in patients at risk. Varying viewing points exisist as how to best handle these patients when a tooth or teeth need to be extracted. Some options include stopping the anticoagulant before extraction or continuing to use it while local hemostatic techniques are used. However ceasing the anticoagulant could be deadly so it is not generally used. The therapeutic effect of warfarin is … Read more

Dental Extraction Complications in Patients on Double Antiplatelet Therapy

An interesting article titled “Hemorrhagic Complications of Dental Extractions in 181 Patients Undergoing Double Antiplatelet Therapy” written by Olga Olmos-Carrasco and et al. appears in the 2015 Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery (vol. 73, pp. 203-210). The study sought to explore if dental extractions can be done safely on patients with double antiplatelet therapy. Double antiplatelet therapy is the combination of 100 mg per day of acetylsalicylic acid and a second antiplatelet agent. This type of therapy is done to prevent blood cells from forming a clot in certain types of patients who have a history of coronary artery disease, or have had a heart attack or stroke. A total of 181 patients with a mean age of roughly 67 were included in the study.  Most of the patients (76.8%) were male. A total of 217 teeth were extracted … Read more