Tooth Extraction Tooth extraction is the professional removal of the entire tooth. There are several reasons why you would need to have a tooth extracted. We work with both simple and surgical extractions at New Life Dental. We also offer a variety of restoration options to give you back a normal look and function after your extraction. We use materials such as porcelain, composite resin, and metals, depending on your exact needs.Reasons for Tooth ExtractionOne of the most common dental extraction procedures is wisdom tooth extraction, of which people usually have four. Wisdom teeth are often impacted, meaning they are unable to erupt through the gum, due to being trapped behind your other teeth. This can cause pain and maldevelopment in your other teeth. Other reasons for dental extraction could include severe trauma, misalignment, extra teeth, tooth decay, or a requirement for other types of medical or dental treatment. Simple Tooth ExtractionSimple tooth extractions are performed when the tooth is visible above your gumline. You will receive a local anesthetic, but you will not need general anesthesia for this procedure. To remove the tooth, our dentist uses a tool called a dental elevator to wiggle the tooth loose. Once it is loose, our dentist can remove it using forceps. Due to this being a relatively non-invasive procedure, sutures are not needed. Your gum will form a blood clot very shortly after the tooth is extracted. Surgical Tooth ExtractionSurgical tooth extraction is a bit more complex, but still a very simple procedure. For a surgical extraction, you will get both local and general anesthesia, so you will be asleep during the procedure. First, our dentist creates a small incision in the gum over the top of the tooth. The tooth may need to be cut into multiple pieces in order to be removed fully. Some bone may also need to be removed in order to gain access to the tooth. After the tooth has been fully removed, our dentist will suture the incision. Recovery and RestorationLocal and general anesthesia can both take several hours to recover from. Local anesthesia will only cause numbness, while general anesthesia will make you feel groggy. It is normal to feel a slight tenderness and see some inflammation for a few days following the procedure. Once you are completely healed, we can talk about dental restoration options. Your dental restoration options depend on how many teeth you need to have extracted. For a single tooth extraction, a dental crown is your best option. This is an individual replacement tooth that can look and act like a natural tooth. For multiple teeth extractions, you could get dental implants to support multiple crowns or a dental bridge, also called a fixed partial denture. You could also get a removable partial denture. Each of these restorations can be made to look like your natural teeth as well. We will need to wait until you are fully healed to place a dental restoration because, as the gums heal, they will change shape and the swelling will go down. For more information on dental extractions, call New Life Dental at (227) 258-3188. |
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