Tooth Extraction
St. George, UT
 In some cases, teeth are damaged or decayed to such an extent that they are not able to be repaired. When this happens, we may need to remove your tooth in a surgery called dental extraction. There are two main types of extractions and the specific type we use is based on how easy your tooth is to remove. We will explain every step of the procedure and give you recovery instructions at Precision Dental Specialties.
Reasons For Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions can occur for several different reasons, such as decay, overcrowding, impaction, and injury. Tooth decay can occur on its own or as a result of ongoing gum disease. This causes the tooth to break down and the infection can spread into the bloodstream, which could damage other parts of the body. Overcrowding can affect how well you are able to clean your teeth and it can also cause pain and maldevelopment. Teeth that are impacted are those which have not erupted from the gum or that have only partially erupted from the gum. This is a common occurrence with wisdom teeth when wisdom teeth require removal. Injuries, such as chips or fractures, can be serious enough that the tooth cannot be saved. In this case, the tooth must be removed and replaced with a restoration.
Procedure
We can do both simple and surgical tooth extractions at our office. Simple extractions are used when the tooth is visible and easily removed without needing to cut into the surrounding tissue. We remove these by moving them slightly until they become loose and can be pulled.
Surgical extractions, however, often require an incision into the gum. This is either because the tooth is not visible or because it must be removed in several pieces. We can use a variety of instruments or lasers to cut through the tooth in order to remove it in parts.
As is the case with all surgeries, at Precision we offer general anesthesia and sedation dentistry as an option for maximum ease and comfort. After the tooth is removed, your blood will quickly begin to clot. That said, our oral surgeon will close any incision with stitches and apply gauze to the area to stop any bleeding.
Recovery and Restoration
Depending on the type of extraction performed and how many teeth you have lost, you may have symptoms over the next few days. For instance, you may feel a slight tenderness and have some swelling. We often recommend ice and pain medication to treat these symptoms.
We can also develop a treatment plan to restore your mouth to a fully natural look and function. For example, crowns and dental bridges are common treatments given to people who have lost their teeth. These each have their own preparatory procedures, so you would need to discuss these in further detail with our doctors. Call Precision Dental Specialties at 431-652-1445 to ask about our tooth extraction procedure. |
