Good oral hygiene is a must. The loss of a single tooth can have major impact on overall oral health and appearance. Although dentists will use every measure to prevent tooth loss, there are still some occasions when a tooth needs to be extracted. A tooth may need to be extracted if the following occurs:
-Severe decay
-Advanced gum disease
-Infection or abscess
-Orthodontic correction
-Malpositioned teeth
-Fractured teeth or roots
-Impacted teeth
The dentist may suggest an extraction after careful examination and treatment. X-rays are used to understand the shape and position of the tooth and surrounding bone before extracting the tooth. Based on the degree of difficulty, a dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon.
A certain amount of pain and discomfort is to be expected following an extraction, but it can be minimized with painkillers and ice packs applied to the face for 15 minutes at a time. Discomfort should lessen within three days to two weeks.
If you experience prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding or fever, call our office immediately.
"Like a lot of people I don't go to the doctor unless I'm sick, so for the dentist I wasn't doing regular visits and low and behold ended up with cavities. Dr. Tom was super nice and professional, no one in the office made me feel bad about my teeth, they just immediately moved on to the treatment steps. Got my cavities filled and all the jaw pain I had for months was gone by the time the numbing wore off. Super grateful for Dr. Tom and his wonderful staff. Also liked how modern their office was, I didn't realize how old school my old dentist was until I came here - the up to date technology made a big difference."
