Tooth Extraction One thing that dentists will always strive to do is to save a damaged or decayed tooth if that is possible. It is only after establishing that a tooth cannot be saved, that a dentist considers extracting it. Our team at Jerome Riddle DDS will examine your damaged or infected tooth thoroughly in order to determine if extraction is the solution or if there is a conservative way of addressing the problem in order to save the tooth. For instance, a root canal can help save a tooth that has pulp damage but its structure is still in good form. When Do You Need Extraction?Tooth extraction may be necessary if a tooth is badly decayed and cannot be repaired. If a tooth breaks off badly or in multiple pieces, extraction may be necessary. Another reason a tooth extraction is recommended is when there is overcrowding, which prevents teeth straightening appliances like braces from working effectively. Impacted teeth need also be removed if it is likely to bring trouble. Your wisdom teeth may be removed if they are impacted and likely to present potential problems in the future. Extraction ProcessDepending on the tooth being extracted, a dentist may perform a simple extraction or consider a surgical extraction. If a tooth is growing straight and is visible in the mouth, our dentist grasps it with a special tool and wiggles it to loosen it. The dentist then gently removes it. The process happens pretty quickly and since you are under local anesthesia, you will not even realize the tooth has come out. We clean the extraction site and apply gauze. A surgical extraction becomes necessary when a tooth is impacted. If you have a tooth that needs to be removed and is buried underneath the gumline, then expect to have surgical removal. Our dentist will make an incision through the gum tissue around the tooth. Through the incision, the dentist is able to access the tooth. The dentist may have to cut away bone or other tissue if accessing the tooth demands that. At times, the dentist may have to pull out the tooth piece by piece. Once done, we clean the area and place back the gum flap before we stitch the tissue and place gauze on the site to curb bleeding. Aftercare Tips for Tooth ExtractionsDuring the recovery period, our dental team advises that you eat soft foods. Make sure you remain mostly on fluids after the extraction until the anesthesia wears off. Thereafter, limit your diet to only soft foods, especially for the first couple of days following the extraction. It is important you take care of the teeth and gums too. Avoid brushing teeth close to the site, particularly on the first day of the extraction. However, brush the other teeth as usual. You can return to your normal oral care routine two days after the tooth removal. Visit our dental team at Jerome Riddle DDS if you have an impacted tooth, badly damaged tooth, or a tooth that requires extraction. Schedule an appointment by dialing 480-991-4410. |
