How Removing Teeth Can Help Save Teeth
If you’re an adult, you probably don’t enjoy the idea of losing a permanent tooth. Unfortunately, certain teeth, especially wisdom teeth, may cause so much trouble for the rest of your mouth that they need to come out. If you do require an extraction, don’t worry: Dr. Loiseau offers safe, comfortable tooth extractions right here at our Moses Lake office.
What Are Tooth Extractions?
Tooth extractions refers to the dental procedures for removing teeth. There are two kinds of tooth extractions, regular or simple extraction and surgical extraction.
A simple extraction involves using tools to loosen the tooth, then pulling the tooth out of its socket. Simple extractions are usually sufficient for teeth that have fully erupted above the gum line. These extractions are usually very quick and recovery is generally easy.
A surgical extraction requires that incisions be made into the gums to properly access the entirety of the tooth before it can be removed. Surgical extraction is most often necessary for impacted teeth that have not fully erupted or haven’t erupted at all. Impacted teeth may grow in at awkward angles or even sideways.
Whether your teeth are impacted, too damaged to repair, or infected, leaving them in your mouth may cause various oral health issues such as:
- Pain
- Crowding
- Misalignment
- Cysts
- Tooth decay
- Jawbone damage
- Infection or the spread of infection
- Red or swollen gums
- Sinus issues
Impaction, infection, and damage are all problems that are especially common for wisdom teeth.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and usually the last adult teeth to develop. Due to the way the human mouth has changed over time, there’s often no room for these third molars, causing them to become impacted. It’s usually recommended that wisdom teeth be removed as soon as they’re detected, or they can cause significant oral health issues.
Benefits of Tooth Extractions
If problem teeth are extracted before they become a significant threat to your oral health, Dr. Loiseau can help preserve your oral health, prevent or alleviate pain, and eliminate the need for more drawn out procedures and healing times. Be sure to attend regular dental exams at Legacy Dental so Dr. Loiseau can keep track of your oral health and discover which teeth may cause issues in the future.
Tooth extraction isn’t just useful for preventing and alleviating oral health issues, though. Extraction can also prepare your mouth for beneficial restorations such as dentures, bridges, and long-lasting dental implants. It’s recommended that any missing teeth be replaced with a restoration, to prevent common issues such as infection and loss of jawbone density due to lack of stimulation, also called resorption.
The Tooth Extraction Process
Initial Consultation
Before Dr. Loiseau recommends tooth extraction, he’ll have you undergo an initial consultation. During your initial consultation, Dr. Loiseau will thoroughly examine your mouth, review your medical history, and discuss your smile goals with you. Dr. Loiseau will also talk to you about sedation dentistry, if you experience dental anxiety or your procedure is expected to be drawn out.
Preparation
Once you and Dr. Loiseau have decided that extraction is the right option for you, we’ll clean out your mouth and apply a local anesthetic to the soft tissues around the tooth or teeth that need to be extracted. If you elect to undergo sedation, we’ll make sure it’s working alongside the anesthetic before the procedure begins.
Tooth Extraction
Dr. Loiseau will extract your tooth, either by loosening and pulling the tooth with handheld tools, or making an incision in the gums to expose the whole tooth before extracting it. Depending on your case, Dr. Loiseau may sew your gums shut afterward to assist in the healing process and apply clean gauze to protect the removal site.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exact time of your tooth extraction will vary based on factors including whether or not you’re undergoing simple tooth extractions, surgical tooth extractions, or both, and how many teeth you need extracted. Dr. Loiseau will give you an estimate during your initial consultation.
Patients usually recover from tooth extraction within three to six weeks, although this timeframe will vary based on your unique physiology and your postoperative habits.
After your procedure, Dr. Loiseau will give you specific advice and instructions on how to heal properly and manage pain. Common guidelines to follow post-op include the following:
- Rinse with warm salt water or antimicrobial mouthwash after meals
- Avoid exercise or strenuous activity for at least two days
- Take all medications as directed
- Replace gauze as needed, usually every 30-45 minutes during active bleeding
- Avoid foods that are hard, brittle, chewy, crunchy or spicy for at least a week
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, carbonation, and hot drinks for at least a week
- Stay hydrated
- Be gentle around the removal site when cleaning your teeth
The exact cost of your extraction procedure will depend on factors such as the requirements of your specific case, whether or not you elected to undergo sedation, and your insurance. Be sure to call your provider beforehand and ask them if they can cover some or all of the cost of your procedure.
Learn How Tooth Extraction Can Help Save Your Smile!
When necessary, tooth extractions can help save you from the time, costs, and pain of oral health issues and more drawn out corrective procedures. Extraction can also prepare you for restorations that can enhance the function and appearance of your smile.
To learn more about the potential benefits of tooth extraction, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Loiseau at our Moses Lake office, call (509) 765-1748. You can also fill out our contact form and one of our friendly team members will get back to you shortly.