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Instruments Used for Dental Extraction

At some point in life you may need to have a tooth removed because it is broken or unhealthy. Dentists have two options: simple extraction or atraumatic extraction. The simple method is to loosen the tooth and pull it. The atraumatic method involves breaking up the tooth and removing the fragments from the gums.

  1. Anesthesia

    • The dentist will use anesthesia to numb the area around the tooth to be removed. Dentists generally choose among lidocaine, prilocaine, bupivacaine and mepivacaine. Your dentist will inject the anasthesia into your gum.

    Extraction Forceps

    • Dentists use extraction forceps for simple tooth extractions. The forceps hold the visible part of the tooth in place while the dentist works to loosen the damaged or unhealthy tooth.

    Periosteal Elevator

    • Dentists use the periosteal elevator to dig at the base of the tooth to be extracted, working in conjunction with the forceps. Your dentist will use the elevator to loosenyour tooth from its place in the jawbone and will pull it with a forceps.

    Osteatome

    • The osteotome is a tool used in more complex tooth extraction. For example, dentists use it if a tooth has not fully erupted or has broken off below the gumline where extraction forceps cannot grip it. The tool is a drill the dentist uses to break apart the remaining parts of a broken tooth to make extraction easier.

    Periostome

    • The periostome is a fine, hook-shaped tool used to separate the dental ligaments from fragments of bone. Dentists also use it to dig bone tissue out of the gums. Dentists most often use the periostome for more complicated tooth extractions.

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