What is a Tooth Extraction?

An extraction is a type of procedure that involves removing a natural tooth. While our job is to preserve as many of your teeth as possible, there may be a time when keeping the tooth in place is detrimental to your oral health. Removing a tooth is safe and done as comfortably in our office as possible. This procedure can be done on both pediatric as well as adult patients.

Why is a Tooth Extraction necessary?

There are a few reasons for why you might need a full extraction. A tooth might be badly damaged and is beyond the point of being repaired. You might have periodontal disease and some of your natural teeth are loose. For kids and young adults, stubborn baby teeth and impacted wisdom teeth may need to be removed. Extractions are always done on an as-needed basis to prevent future dental problems.

What makes someone a candidate for a Tooth Extraction?

The best way for us to determine if an extraction is needed is with an examination. In some cases, we may recommend x-rays to allow us to see the damage to the tooth or where an impacted tooth is located. If you need to have a tooth completely removed, it’s recommended that the procedure be done as soon as possible. This will prevent further problems to your oral health over time.

What happens throughout the Tooth Extraction procedure?

Our first step is to numb the area where the extraction is going to need to be done. We then use special tools to both loosen and then lift up the tooth from the socket underneath. We may place sutures if we feel it is necessary in healing the gum tissue. You’ll be instructed to bite down on gauze to stop bleeding while we go over your aftercare information. It is important to take care of your mouth while it is recovering from surgery so that you do not develop an infection or a condition known as dry socket, which is often caused by smoking or drinking through a straw shortly after surgery.

If you think you might need to have a tooth removed, call our office today to speak with one of our trained and professional team members for further assistance.