A tooth extraction is unfortunately necessary to help patients restore their oral health. This is when a dentist permanently removes a tooth from its socket. Often referred to as “pulling teeth”, extractions are simple outpatient procedures. A simple extraction is typically not painful since your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area. You may feel some slight pressure and tugging though.
A tooth extraction is used only when necessary. Your Cary, NC dentists will do everything they can to preserve your natural tooth with a filling or root canal before they resort to extracting it. Tryon Family Dentistry offers sedation dentistry for anyone who may experiences anxiety or fear about their tooth extraction procedure.
Circumstances Where a Tooth Extraction is Necessary
A tooth extraction may be recommended to address:
Tooth Decay or Damage – Sometimes tooth decay or a broken or cracked tooth can be so severe that it will be impossible to save it. If a dental filling or dental crown cannot save your tooth, then we will have to extract it to avoid a possible infection.
Tooth Infection – A tooth infection that does not go away with an antibiotic or root canal treatment will need to be removed. Your dentist will take ever measure to save the tooth but sometimes the infection is too severe. It is important to extract the tooth in these situations because we want to make sure the infection does not spread to other teeth or to the bone.
Prepare for Braces – Most people getting braces will need at least one tooth pulled, if not more. This is because of overcrowding and the force on the teeth caused by the crowding. If this is the case, your Cary, NC dentist will extract the necessary teeth to create room for the other teeth as they shift in to place.
Gum Disease – Advanced periodontal disease is actually the number one cause for tooth loss. People who are suffering from this disease will lose support for their teeth due to bone and tissue loss. Once gum disease has reached this stage, the damage is irreversible and we will have to extract the affected teeth.
Wisdom Teeth – Wisdom teeth removal is a common procedure for young adults in their late teens to early 20’s as this is when the wisdom teeth typically begin to emerge. Our Cary, NC dentist office provides complete wisdom tooth removal services for patients of all ages. Commonly, wisdom teeth are removed because they are impacted (stuck beneath the gum line) or present a potential overcrowding problem that will detrimentally affect the bite. We also will remove them if they have arrived at an incorrect angle and are affecting the other teeth. They also make brushing and flossing difficult.
After the Extraction
After the tooth has been pulled, there will be a small hole in the socket where the bottom part of the tooth used to be. A blood clot will form and it will be important to have gauze in your mouth to help control the bleeding. You should bite on gauze for about 35-45 minutes after the procedure. To protect the blood clot, you should not: smoke, vigorously rinse your mouth out, suck on a straw, consume alcohol or brush your teeth at the extraction site. If the clot does come, it will prolong your healing time.
