Tooth Extraction Normally, dentists are all about saving teeth and making sure they stay healthy in your mouth. Sometimes, however, we need to do the exact opposite and extract a troublesome tooth in order to preserve your dental health in the long-term. If you need a tooth extracted, then Riverstone Dental Group can help you out. Why We Recommend Extracting TeethWhen a tooth becomes sufficiently decayed, if it is severely damaged, or if it is suffering from extensive disease, then extracting the tooth may be the best choice for your oral health. This might seem counterintuitive, since you have probably heard that dentists will do anything possible to save a tooth. This is true, but only up to a point. An unhealthy tooth can cause problems for the rest of your healthy teeth. Bacteria can spread, teeth can be pushed out of place, and the discomfort might simply be too much. Other times a tooth is perfectly healthy, but we take it out anyway to preserve your overall health, such as is often done with wisdom teeth which can cause unnecessary crowding. How We Extract TeethExtractions are quick, usually about one hour per tooth. Simple extractions are for visible teeth and are how we remove most teeth. Teeth that need to be removed because of damage or disease are typically simple extractions, and sometimes the tooth needs little encouragement to come out on its own. If a tooth is impacted or concealed fully or partially below the gum, as with many wisdom teeth, then it is a surgical extraction. How You Can Care for Your Mouth After an ExtractionCaring for your mouth after an extraction is vital to successfully recovering while keeping your mouth healthy. These instructions are general and may be contradicted by the personalized directions we give you following the extraction. You should eat soft, cool foods. Continue brushing and flossing, but be careful not to brush the new socket. Dental hygiene is critical, as an infection will prolong your recovery. What is the Next Step After an Extraction?Once your tooth has been extracted, what next? Chances are we will have already discussed this with you before extracting your teeth, since the faster you can get a replacement the better. We may perform a tooth socket graft or ridge augmentation right after the extraction to protect the socket or ridge from bone decay, or we may give you a temporary tooth. Your permanent replacement will depend on a few factors. The best replacement is almost always a dental implant, as these feel, look, and work almost exactly like your real teeth. Not all patients are candidates for dental implants, however, so dental bridges are another great option to replace one or two missing teeth. For patients missing more teeth, a complete or partial denture may be ideal. Do You Have a Troublesome Tooth?If you have a tooth that is causing you problems, whether it is an unhealthy tooth with a large cavity or a healthy tooth like your wisdom teeth, then extracting it may be the best decision for your smile. To get your troublesome tooth extracted by Riverstone Dental Group, call (925) 414-9250. |
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