Unfortunately extractions or tooth removals are still with us, and it is a procedure that is necessary from time to time. With the excellent local anaesthetics available today and a good conservative extraction technique almost all extractions can be performed under local anaesthesia as a very simple atraumatic procedure.
We are at times confronted with teeth which are non-salvageable due to grossly deep carious lesions, a tooth with a hopeless periodontal condition, or it has a very deep vertical fracture. With the advent of predictable and stable long-term results with dental implants, to extract a tooth and replace it with an implant-borne crown is now a very good alternative when faced with these hopeless or borderline cases.
Even very badly fractured or grossly carious teeth can be surgically removed under local anaesthesia. Only in exceptional cases is it necessary to render the treatment under general anaesthesia. For such cases we have excellent facilities. We use the Edenvale Day Clinic, which is a dedicated clinic for dental general anaesthetic cases.
With the removal of impacted wisdom teeth general anaesthesia is often indicated, or we may refer such patients to a specialist maxillo-facial surgeon.