Tooth Extraction
What’s a Tooth Extraction?
We do everything we can to keep your smile full, bright and healthy. Unfortunately, there may be a time when one or more teeth would be better off removed than kept in the mouth. In this case, an extraction can be performed. This process involves completely removing a tooth that is considered to be problematic by using specialized dental instruments.
Why would someone need a Tooth Extraction?
Extractions are often necessary if there’s no other way to preserve a problem tooth. The tooth might have severely broken or cracked to the point where a crown is no longer a viable option. You might have a wisdom tooth that is impacted and painful or a child with a stubborn baby tooth. Likewise, you might have advanced gum disease and some of your teeth are decayed or loose.
What makes you a candidate for a Tooth Extraction?
We will examine your smile to determine if one or more teeth should be removed. If other treatments are available to save the tooth, we will recommend these prior to fully taking the tooth out. Some patients would rather extract a tooth to prevent the need for more costly procedures. Extractions can be performed on either adult or pediatric patients as needed.
How is a Tooth Extraction done?
We start by numbing the area and providing you with sedation to help make the treatment as comfortable as possible. The problematic tooth is then loosened with special dental tools. It is then lifted out of its underlying socket with a different tool. In some cases, loosening the tooth is all that is needed for the tooth to pop out. We may place sutures to help close up the gums, but this isn’t always necessary. You’ll bite down on some gauze to stop any bleeding and will be given instructions on how to care for your mouth while it is healing from the extraction.
If you’d like to learn about the extraction process and how it’s done, call our office today to speak with a knowledgeable staff member.