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Dentists do everything they can to prevent the need for an extraction of teeth, whether it’s placing a filling or crown or performing root canal therapy. While teeth are incredibly durable, they cannot survive all levels of oral infection or physical trauma. If your tooth is badly damaged or simply at risk of infecting neighboring teeth, a tooth extraction will be needed. Dr. Megan McInnis will ensure that your treatment is as comfortable and successful as possible, so don’t wait to get it done. Call her office today to schedule your next appointment!
Even with the most advanced tooth replacement solutions out there, nothing is better than your natural teeth. This is one of the main reasons why dentists avoid extracting teeth if possible. With that said, there are many situations where a tooth will need to be fully extracted to protect your other oral structures.
These situations include:
When it comes to tooth extractions, there are two common scenarios that can appear. If your tooth is easily accessible, then we can perform a simple extraction. This requires administering a local anesthetic to the tooth and surrounding tissue to reduce as much discomfort as possible, then breaking the tooth from the periodontal ligament holding it in place. Next, we’ll grab the tooth with a pair of dental forceps in order to gently remove it from your jaw.
In the event that your tooth is impacted, we’ll need to perform a surgical extraction. This involves making a small incision in the gum tissue and repeating the same steps for a simple extraction. After the tooth is removed, we’ll close the gum tissue and go over your options for tooth replacement.
Immediately following your tooth removal, it is very important that you follow all aftercare instructions provided by Dr. McInnis. For the first 48 hours, make sure to get plenty of rest and stick to a soft diet. The last thing you want to do is overwork your jaw and accidentally dislodge the blood clot formed over the extraction site. This can result in a painful condition known as dry socket.
Minor discomfort is common after oral surgery and can be mitigated with over-the-counter painkillers. Swelling can be reduce via a cold compress. If you experience pain or swelling for more than a few days, contact our office right away for retreatment. During your healing period, you’ll need to practice daily oral care while avoiding the extraction site.
