WHY DO SOME TEETH NEED EXTRACTION?

A tooth extraction is sometimes called for when a tooth has decayed beyond the point of any other type of treatment. Extractions are done to prevent potential infection from spreading or when the long term health of the tooth looks poor.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
A tooth extraction is dental surgery. The area of your mouth where the tooth is located will be anesthetized (numbed) so that you feel no pain during the procedure.
Some permanent teeth become loose on their own, but many do not. When the dentist extracts a permanent tooth, he or she must make it loose. There are many technical terms describing the forces put on a permanent tooth to extract it. Simply put: the dentist pushes on it.
While you are numb and do not feel pain, you will feel the pressure the dentist puts on the tooth to loosen it. If you do feel pain, you should let your dentist know so that they can address it with local anesthetic.

WHAT IS A SURGICAL EXTRACTION?
There are some teeth that we are unable to remove with just pulling force. This can be due to severe breakdown of the tooth from a large cavity or crack. A tooth with an old root canal is also difficult to remove in one piece.
These teeth require different surgical techniques in order to remove the entire tooth with all of its roots.
There is no increase in pain during a surgical extraction versus a simple extraction. In fact, patients often state that they are less uncomfortable during a surgical extraction because there is less pushing.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER A TOOTH EXTRACTION?
After an extraction, we give each patient strict post-operative instructions. These instructions help to minimize pain after the dental surgery and speeds recovery time.
It is normal for the surgical site to bleed for several hours after the procedure. Your instructions will include the protocol for the promotion of a healthy blood clot in the extraction site.
After the local anesthesia wears off, you will experience some post-operative pain. Most patients experience pain at the extraction site for the first 2-3 days and take over-the-counter medications to address it.
Stitches are sometimes necessary. If you do receive stitches, you will receive instructions on care and removal of them.
The gum tissues will close over the extraction site after 2-3 weeks. It is important to keep the surgical site clean while it is healing.

DO YOU NEED A TOOTH EXTRACTION?
Call today to schedule a consultation. We can assess your tooth problem, give you a long-term prognosis, and discuss your treatment options including extraction if warrranted.