Extractions
When decay, damage, or other issues have made it difficult or impossible to repair a tooth, your dentist can perform an extraction. This procedure can be completed with minimal discomfort at our office to help relieve pain and prepare for restorative dental care. Our goal at Red Bank Smiles is to provide comprehensive dental care that is as minimally invasive as possible. To get the quality of care you deserve, schedule an appointment with Dr. Klayman today.
Causes for Tooth Extractions
The need for a tooth extraction indicates a serious condition that no other procedure can help correct. A few situations make this necessary, such as:
- Infection: When an infection causes damage to the pulp inside your teeth, a root canal can usually help solve the problem. However, the infection may sometimes progress too far for a root canal to be effective, and an extraction may be the only way for it not to spread to the rest of your mouth.
- Reduced Immune System: Preventing infection in your mouth requires an active immune system that battles decay. But, if you are undergoing chemotherapy or having an organ transplant, for example, your capacity to fight infection may be weakened. To protect your overall health during this time, your dentist will likely recommend an extraction.
- Mouth Crowding: A tooth extraction can be used to free up space in your mouth if there is a tooth growing under the gum that is blocked by existing teeth or you are about to receive braces and a tooth would impede the intended corrective alignment.
- Gum Disease: Red Bank Smiles offers many ways to treat gum disease, but if the condition is left untreated for too long, your gums may lose their ability to support your teeth. This can cause your teeth to loosen, requiring an extraction.
The Extraction Procedure
Having a tooth removed is a fairly quick process that should not cause you to experience pain. First, you will have an anesthetic injected to numb your ability to feel pain. The dentist will then clean away any gum or bone tissue that is blocking access to the tooth, and get a firm grip with forceps. They will slowly loosen the tooth from its socket by rocking it back and forth without using too much force and eventually pull it away completely. If a tooth is exceptionally difficult to remove, the dentist may break it up into pieces to make the process easier, but that only happens on rare occasions. Your mouth will be dressed with gauze to help prevent bleeding, and you may receive stitches. If you received local anesthetic and weren’t put fully asleep, you should expect to only feel the pressure of the dentist pulling on the tooth, with no pain or additional sensations.
After the Extraction
Recovery from a tooth extraction will take a couple of days, but there are some tips to help you get back to normal more quickly, including:
- Using an ice bag to reduce swelling
- Avoiding using a straw for 24 hours after the operation
- Eating soft foods
- Rinsing your mouth with salt and warm water
- Not smoking until your mouth is fully healed
Repair Your Smile
With the exceptional care and detail delivered by the dental team at Red Bank Smiles, you can be sure that the tooth extraction process will be simple and painless. After the tooth has been removed, we provide several replacement services that will make your smile complete once again. If you would like to go over your options for having a tooth removed, contact us to learn more.
