Many patients who experience tooth decay or damage are able to have their condition treated by their general dentist with a crown, filling, or root canal.
Unfortunately, when the damage is too extensive for treatment, the tooth must be removed.
Tooth extractions can be necessary for many reasons, and depending on the severity of your case, your dentist or oral surgeon may refer you to an expert. That is where we come in!
Call Greater Charlotte Oral and Facial Surgery today to discuss tooth extraction with our oral surgeons.
What Happens During A Tooth Extraction Procedure?
A routine extraction is advised if dental treatments such as fillings, crowns, or a root canal cannot save or restore a tooth. Tooth extractions are common procedures that are carried out as either a simple extraction or a surgical extraction.
Simple Extractions
Most tooth removal procedures are carried out as simple extractions. This means that no incisions are made in the gums. During this procedure, a local anesthetic is applied to numb the area around the tooth. It is loosened by rocking it back and forth and once loose enough the tooth is removed easily using forceps. This is usually what is referred to as getting a "tooth pulled."
Surgical Extractions
A surgical extraction is required for larger teeth, such as wisdom teeth (third molars). Oral surgery is also needed for impacted teeth like impacted canines (those that have not erupted through the gum line), or if a tooth has broken below the gum line.
Tooth Extraction Process
An incision is made in the gum line during a surgical extraction, which will require stitching. Before the decision is made to perform a surgical extraction, x-rays will be carried out to confirm that surgery is the best course of action. Sometimes, a tooth may need to be broken into pieces before it can be removed to avoid damaging the surrounding bone or other teeth.
Sedation Options
Surgical extractions are performed via anesthetic, general anesthesia, or conscious sedation. This is to make sure that a patient does not feel anything during the procedure.
Avoid Disturbing The Extraction Site
We will give you specific guidelines to help you during your recovery. It is important to adhere to these to ensure you have a quick recovery while avoiding any complications.
Immediately after your extraction, the tooth socket is likely to be bleeding. We will place gauze over the area, and you will be required to bite firmly but gently down on it for up to an hour to stem the bleeding and help to form a blood clot.
Avoid Hard and Crunchy Foods
You should avoid rinsing your mouth or eating and drinking for several hours afterward so as to not dislodge the clot, resulting in dry socket. It is advisable to drink only lukewarm liquids and eat soft foods until the bleeding has stopped.
Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol as these inhibit the healing process. Your face may be bruised and swollen following your extraction—particularly after a surgical extraction—but applying an ice pack to the area can help to minimize swelling and alleviate any discomfort.
Why Do I Need My Tooth Removed?
There are a number of factors that may contribute to the need for tooth extraction, and the clinical problem will determine the method used for extraction. Some of the most common reasons that patients need a tooth removed include the following:
Loosening of the tooth
Many patients who develop periodontal disease, an infection of the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth, experience loosening of their adult teeth. If this is the case, the tooth is too unstable to remain functioning in the mouth, and it must be removed.
Development of Infection
When infections in the mouth, such as tooth decay, reach the center of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels, it may make the tooth incurable through Root Canal Therapy or antibiotics. Patients who have undergone chemotherapy or organ transplants are at an increased risk for infection because their immune system has been compromised.
Problems with impacted wisdom teeth
Many young patients experience severe pain from dental crowding which requires tooth extraction. The cause of this crowding may be attributed to baby teeth not falling out in time for adult teeth to grow in, preparation of the mouth for orthodontia, and the presence of extra teeth. All of these will prevent healthy, normal teeth from growing properly.
Preserve Your Oral Health With Tooth Removal in Charlotte
If you are in need of a tooth extraction, we encourage you to contact either of our office locations in Charlotte NC. Our friendly office staff is happy to assist you in scheduling an initial consultation.
Additionally, we can help you to find the right tooth replacement option to keep your smile intact. Dental implants are often a choice of our patients to restore missing teeth.
Restore Your Smile With Our Tooth Replacement Options
Call Greater Charlotte Oral and Facial Surgery at (980) 332-7990 to find out more about our procedures for tooth extractions.
