Tooth Extraction

Oral surgery is the most common form of surgery, specifically wisdom teeth removal, which most adults experience sometime in their early twenties. The prospect of tooth extraction may seem frightening, but at Smile Wellness, you can count on an extraction that is as comfortable as can be.

How Will I Know if I Need Tooth Extraction?

Generally speaking, tooth extraction is used for wisdom teeth, but you may need a tooth extraction if you suffer from one of the following issues:

• Baby teeth that have not fallen out and are blocking your incoming permanent teeth.
• More teeth than normal.
• A tooth that is fractured or severely damaged
• Periodontal disease.
• Side effects stemming from radioactive therapy or other treatments that affect your teeth.
• Severe oral infection that has progressed beyond the point it can be saved with a root canal.

What Can I Expect from the Procedure?

Local anesthesia is applied to your mouth during the tooth extraction procedure, although we may also use general anesthesia if you have specific requirements. These compounds induce numbness and reduce the sensitivity of oral tissues and nerves. This way, you can count on little to no sensations of pain throughout the entire extraction procedure.

Your professional Smile Wellness dentists use local anesthesia during tooth extraction procedures. General anesthesia may be administered to patients meeting specific requirements. These compounds induce numbness and reduce the sensitivity of oral issues and nerves, allowing for a relatively painless extraction procedure.

Tooth Extraction Type

For teeth that are not impacted, the process is called a simple extraction. In these instances, only two dental devices are used: an elevator for freeing the tooth from the jaw and forceps to remove it from the mouth.

A surgical extraction is an extraction where more complicated methods are required. This is generally the case for teeth that are impacted and can’t be removed through a simple extraction. Our dentist will have to perform a specialized cutting into the gum tissue to better access the tooth.

Sometimes, the tooth has become damaged as a result of not emerging correctly into your mouth. This is what’s known as an impacted tooth.

Why Do My Wisdom Teeth Need to be Extracted?

Wisdom teeth tend to erupt somewhere between the ages of 17 and 25 years. Wisdom teeth may have performed an evolutionary purpose in eras past, likely to help your ancestors chew coarse, unprepared food items. Today, however, they serve little purpose and only push your other teeth to the front, causing malocclusion, gum disease, and pain. They are also prone to infection, as they appear in the back of your mouth, where it is difficult for brushes and floss to reach them. Generally, the advice of dentists is to have your wisdom teeth removed as they begin to erupt but before they’ve fully emerged into your mouth.

You will know your wisdom teeth need to come out when you begin to feel persistent pain or pressure in your jaw that grows steadily more acute.

What is the Recovery Period Like?

The recovery process differs depending on the specific extraction procedure, but you should expect it to take about a week, especially if your teeth were impacted. There will likely be blood clots around the incision site for at least the first day, with some residual swelling in the mouth and cheeks for a while afterward.

One thing is for sure, at Smile Wellness, you can count on caring, compassionate treatment every time. We will outline instructions for you to help you best heal from your treatment and maximize the results of your treatment. Make sure you avoid smoking, try and keep your head elevated when you sleep and make sure to take the pain medication prescribed to you.

At Smile Wellness, we understand that this is an intimidating treatment, which is why we go above and beyond for your comfort. We will explain every element of the process with you so that you can rest easy. Everyone has a different experience when it comes to tooth extraction, and your pain threshold may be different from others, but we make sure to listen to all of your specific needs. We want to ensure the procedure is as smooth and painless as possible.

Call today, and let’s set up an appointment. We’ll go over your specific situation and answer any questions you may have. We are the dentist you can trust.