WHAT IS A TOOTH EXTRACTION?
Tooth extraction is a dental procedure by which a non-restorable tooth is carefully removed from its bony socket. Generally, there are two types of extractions, simple or surgical, depending on the amount of bone surrounding the tooth, the amount of sound tooth left and also the extent of tooth decay. Your dentist near you in Lake Worth at Prestige Dental Care, will assess the situation and be able to inform you the most likely type of extraction needed.
A surgical extraction is more invasive than a simple extraction and will typically involve the removal of gum tissue and bone in order to extract the affected tooth; it may require the placement of sutures to close the site for proper healing.
When performing extractions at our office our goal is to make your experience as painless and safe as possible. As your caring and trustworthy Lake Worth dentist and team, we greatly value providing you with a comfortable environment. Therefore, your tooth will be completely numb before the procedure starts and your friendly dentist in Lake Worth will continually communicate with you to make sure you are as comfortable as possible.
WHEN IS IT NEEDED?
Our job as dentists is to try to save teeth. However, there are instances in which a tooth has to be removed in order to decrease/prevent infection or to stop pain and discomfort. Among these situations we have extensive tooth cavities that cannot be remediated with root canal therapy, loosened teeth due to advanced periodontal disease , fractured or malformed teeth, crowded teeth or impacted wisdom teeth. Teeth can also be extracted when baby teeth impede adult teeth from coming out and also when preparing a patient for orthodontic treatment. After a thorough examination, your caring dentist in Lake Worth will be able to tell you if a broken tooth can be saved or if an extraction will be needed.
HOW IS AN EXTRACTION PERFORMED?
After you are thoroughly numb, your caring Lake Worth dentist will loosen the tooth in steps by carefully using several instruments. This sequential usage of different instruments will allow the area to expand enough millimeters to create enough space for the tooth to be removed. In some cases, the bone is too dense and some has to be removed to create said space. Either scenario will result in the elimination of dental health problems and/or infection down the road.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO AFTER A TOOTH EXTRACTION?
Once the procedure is over, your Lake Worth dentist at PDC will provide you with a list of post-op instructions that you need to follow in order to make your recovery as fast and comfortable as possible. If you fail to closely follow your dentist’s instructions, complications will arise delaying the healing process.
Depending on the case and invasiveness of the procedure, antibiotics and pain medications may be prescribed. For the next few days, it is important to avoid sucking through straw, spitting or swishing vigorously in order to avoid any bleeding or trauma to the healing area. Salty water rinses help avoid infection as long as you don’t swish with it and just tilt your head so it falls into the area of the extraction. However, please avoid Listerine or any store bought mouthwashes as these can cause irritation to the healing wound.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOLE THAT IS LEFT AFTER THE TOOTH IS OUT?
When a tooth is extracted from its socket, the surrounding bone that was giving support to the tooth would reabsorb over time; this is a natural event that may eventually lead to an area of thin bone. If you want to place an implant to replace the extracted tooth, having such thin bone will make it almost impossible or very costly to have an implant placed. As our dentist near you in Lake Worth will inform you, In order to avoid these problems, socket or alveolar ridge preservation is recommended at the moment of tooth extraction.
Socket or alveolar preservation involves placing a graft of bone into the socket where the extracted tooth was. This bone grafting could be done using synthetic materials, purified bone from animals or human bone. Once the bone is placed into the socket, it is then carefully packed and covered with a membrane to protect it. Sutures are then placed in order to keep the opening closed and to maintain the bone graft and membrane in place.
Socket preservation will not only improve the appearance of your remaining teeth by preventing further bone loss, it will also prepare the site of missing teeth for future implant placement by achieving adequate jaw bone levels and volume. There are also other unique situations where a bone graft is needed. Feel free to ask your caring Lake Worth dentist if a socket preservation will be beneficial for your unique situation
WHAT SHOULD I DO IN ORDER TO PREVENT A TOOTH EXTRACTION IN THE FUTURE?
Despite the fact that dental extractions are a common procedure in dentistry, there are simple tips that will help you maintain all your teeth strong and healthy. The easiest and also most important way to prevent having teeth extracted is to practice good oral health care. Proper oral hygiene, consisting of brushing and flossing at least twice a day or after every meal, will prevent any plaque and tartar formation around your teeth and gums. Regular visits to our practice, here in Lake Worth, should also be maintained in order for your caring dental health care professional to properly clean your teeth but also to evaluate if there are any risks of developing oral conditions and to prevent them beforehand. The consumption of a healthy diet, low in sugars, will also help in maintaining your teeth stable and free of cavities.
If you are experiencing tooth pain and believe an extraction by a caring Lake Worth dentist is needed, call us today at (561) 965-3933 or click below for a consultation.