How common is it to cut away bone from jaw during tooth extraction?

[oceansmith]

I had to have a tooth extraction last week on one of my molars. It was the large second to last molar on the left side. It had a crack or two in the tooth and it had become abscessed. Also one of the roots were curved to the outside. That being said I went in to a oral surgeon to have it pulled.
When I got out and looked at the area where the tooth was cut out or removed from it looked really low to the jaw line on the outside/cheek side. So i went back to the oral surgeon and I find out that he cut away some of the bone in the jaw to get the tooth out.

He said he did this because I had really long roots and that he had to "drill it out in there".
Is it common to have to cut away the bone from around the tooth so you can get a tooth out? If I want to get a dental implant I will probably have to get a bone graft now.
I also had the doctor use PRP and I suppose he put the PRP in the root cavity but if he removed part of the bone would he have still been able to use the PRP correctly?

Thanks for anyone who can comment on this.

 

[MattKW]

Unfortunately we usually have to extract crappy teeth that are at risk of fracturing. This increases the risk of having to remove bone in order to get hold of the roots. Quite common. I'd prob do one a week. Not that I want to because it takes up more time, but because there's no other way to get it out.

 

[oceansmith]

well, when you have to remove "crappy" teeth from a patients mouth by cutting away part of the jaw bone do you inform the patient? Isnt that part of informed consent?
I thought most teeth were split anyways to allow for the tooth to be pulled at an angle out of the socket.
I had called another dentist who does implants and I asked them about the same procedure that I had and they told me that they tried everything to make sure they preserved the bone.
Maybe not all dentist have such a cavalier attitude about their patients.

 

[MattKW]

Yes, it's informed consent and I always warn patients if I think there's the least chance of it becoming difficult and surgical. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean that there's always an easier way to take out some of these teeth; you make it sound as if there is always a choice.
Teeth are not always split to be removed - that only applies for certain teeth in specific situations; I'd much rather get it all out in one piece.
I certainly don't go looking to make it harder for me or the patient. I'm all for preserving bone WHERE POSSIBLE. And you misunderstand me, I'm not being cavalier, just practical, and endeavouring to answer your question.

 

[oceansmith]

Well its good that you inform the patient. I wasnt informed. I was just put to sleep and it was cut out with some of my bone.
Maybe the question should have been "how many dentist dont tell their patients they are going to remove bone during a procedure?"
I didnt know that a dentist could not remove a tooth without having to cut out bone from my jaw. Makes you wonder how people have done it for eons before.

 

[MattKW]

The mere fact you had to go to an oral surgeon is never a good sign; usually means it's likely to be a tough extraction.And "in the good old days", people simply suffered or died from infections.