What is Tooth Extraction?
At Coastland Dental, we believe in saving your teeth first. Yet, there will be times when the best option is tooth extractions. As an emergency dentist, we don’t want to extract any teeth unnecessarily. As a preferred method of treatment, our office will always try to restore a tooth before pulling it.
When Is A Tooth Extraction Needed?
There are many reasons when a tooth extraction is necessary. Common reasons include:
Accidents And Trauma
Accidents can happen at any time and anywhere. Unfortunately, trauma to the mouth region can potentially damage your teeth beyond repair. In these cases, an emergency dentist will help remove the damaged tooth.
Tooth Infections
When a tooth has an infection, the big concern will be its spread. In some cases, the best solution is to pull the tooth out immediately. So when there’s tooth pain, see the dentist right away. With early intervention and root canal treatment, the dentist can eliminate the infection.
Restoration Costs Will Be Too Much
With varying dental coverage, sometimes an extraction is the best economic choice. Our dental office recognizes that sometimes restorative dental work can be cost-prohibitive. It will be easier for some patients to pay for an extraction versus a root canal and restoration.
Wisdom Teeth Impaction
During our later teen years, many of us notice our last set of back molars, wisdom teeth appear. For many, this can cause extreme pain due to the lack of jaw space. This lack of room to grow will cause the wisdom teeth to become impacted. Impaction is the situation where the tooth grows in the wrong direction, against neighboring teeth. The best solution for impactions is Wisdom Teeth Removal.
Are Extractions Really Painful?
Yes, getting a tooth extracted can be painful, but your dentist can and will use a numbing agent. These agents will numb down or completely remove any pain you might feel. For patients with anxiety, many dentists can use sedation.
After the tooth is pulled, it’s common to feel pain. At this point, the dentist will recommend OTC pain relievers. If needed, your dentist can also prescribe pain medications to help post-extraction.
The Tooth Extraction Process
With extractions, there are 2 categories, simple or complex. When a tooth is grown straight out and exposed, this is a simple extraction. Your dentist has easy access to the tooth and can gently pull it out. When the tooth is beneath the gums or only partially grown out above the gums, this will be a complicated extraction. Complex extractions will need the dentist to cut through the gum. In some cases, the tooth needs to be cut into smaller pieces then pulled out.
The Recovery Process
Following your extraction, expect to experience soreness and swelling for a few days. This is perfectly normal and expected. Your dentist will give you instructions on what to do at home to help alleviate the symptoms. Standard guidelines will be to take OTC pain relievers for the pain and cold compresses for swelling.
Options For Replacing The Extracted Tooth
After your tooth removal, patients ask what happens next? For patients, there are many viable options, such as dental implants, dentures, or bridges. At Coastland Dental, we recommend implants since they have a very high success rate. Implants also help you keep healthy jaw bone density.
So if you’re experiencing pain, contact Coastland Dental today. We will always try to preserve your tooth and only recommend extraction as a last resort. Our dentist understands the urgency of an extraction. This is why our Burbank dentist provides same-day emergency appointments. Call Coastland Dental and get treated by one of the best dentists in Burbank.