What is a dental extraction?
A dental extraction is a procedure where a tooth is removed when the tooth is no longer deemed restorable. There could be cavities or other reasons why the tooth has to be taken out.
What are the reasons tooth extractions may be necessary?
Tooth extractions may be necessary for several different reasons. One reason is a cavity gets too large. Another reason is a tooth can be split. There can also be gum issues or other problems that may lead to the tooth needing to be removed.
What are the types of tooth extractions?
There's two general types of tooth extractions based upon the difficulty of the procedure itself. Those are referred either to a simple extraction or a surgical extraction.
When would braces require tooth extraction?
Many times during orthodontic therapy, the orthodontist or treating general dentist is working within a confined space. Sometimes there's simply too many teeth in a given space for the orthodontic treatment to be successful. Therefore, sometimes the treating orthodontist may elect to have certain teeth removed to create the space available.
If I have gum disease, when would tooth extraction become necessary?
When a person has gum disease, the necessity for a tooth extraction is a clinical decision based on the examining doctor. However, if the gum disease is moderate to advanced, other treatments may no longer be successful and therefore may require a tooth extraction.
Where should I go if I need an emergency tooth extraction?
If you need an emergency tooth extraction, my recommendation would be to give us a call at area code 850-692-9200 or to give your treating doctor or physician a call.
How long does a tooth extraction procedure take?
A tooth extraction procedure is variable in time based off of the difficulty of the procedure. Most procedures in our office takes within 30 minutes to an hour.
Will I need dental implants after a tooth extraction?
The plan to replace the teeth after a tooth is missing depends on how many teeth are missing as well as the patient's desires and wants. However, many times a dental implant is the ideal treatment option after a tooth has been removed.
Will a dentist put me to sleep during tooth extractions?
There are many options to make the patient more comfortable in the chair during a procedure such as a tooth extraction. In our office, many times patients are comfortable just with regular numbing and they're very comfortable and have a good experience in the chair. However, many times patients request or require additional levels of sedation such as nitrous oxide or oral sedation.
How do I brush my teeth after a tooth extraction?
Typically, after a dental extraction, the goal is not to brush the area for about two weeks until we see you back for a follow-up visit. There is an antibiotic rinse that we give that replaces the ability to brush your teeth during that healing phase.
What should I know about tooth extraction aftercare and recovery?
The biggest points about aftercare and recovery for tooth extraction is to really just take it easy and ice the area down for the first two to three days. As the swelling continues to increase, which is typically the second day postoperatively, that's really when you want to minimize any kind of exercise, make sure to ice the area down and take it really easy. Also, anything creating a vacuum in the mouth using a straw or rinsing really vigorously is best to be avoided during the initial post-op healing phase.
How long should it take to recover from a tooth extraction?
Typically, most patients are the most sore or the most swollen two days after their procedure. Typically, day two and day three after the procedure are towards the height of the difficulty in terms of discomfort or anything, and then two to three days back down, certainly within four to five days, you would expect the patient to be relatively comfortable.
When should I schedule an appointment for a tooth extraction?
If you think that a tooth extraction is needed, please make sure to give us or your dental professional a call, as that issue can become urgent. Our cell phone number is area code (850) 909-9731. Please give us a call today.