When you have a tooth that poses a serious risk for your oral health and cannot be extracted, or if you have wisdom teeth soon to erupt, these are examples of when a tooth extraction could save your smile. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons talk about what you need to know about tooth extraction!
When Teeth Require Extraction
If a tooth sustains an injury too severe to be treated with a crown, or if a tooth develops a cavity or infection too advanced to be addressed with a filling or crown, then removal could protect your smile from the spread of infection. We could remove a tooth to make room for orthodontic treatment, or to pave the way for dentures. Removal could also improve bite balance and chewing function. This could be done for kids, teens, adults, and even seniors as part of their treatment. One of the more common reasons we remove a tooth is to address wisdom teeth.
The Risks of Third Molars
Your third molars, also commonly referred to as wisdom teeth, arrive in our late teens and early 20s. Since there is little room for them, their arrival could shift the teeth to create dental misalignment. Not only does the appearance of your smile change, but you’re at a greater risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Their arrival could impact bite balance to increase the risk of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Wisdom teeth are also linked to infection, damaged teeth, and even a partial eruption known as an impaction. To protect your smile, we can remove these teeth before they erupt!
Prepping Smiles for Dentures
As we touched on above, we may remove teeth to help prepare your smile for dental implants. We could take out a damaged or infected tooth and then replace it with a dental implant, or if you have lost a number of your natural teeth, we could remove the rest to make room for your new implant dentures, which can be placed and completed in only one visit with options like All-On-Four.
Planning the Extraction
We will plan the procedure in detail with digital imaging technology, take detailed x-rays to assess the position of the tooth and plan the removal so we avoid contact with blood vessels, nerve tissue, and sinus cavities. We can then plan and conduct the treatment with precision!
Ensuring Your Comfort
We know oral surgery can make people feel anxious, which is why we take time to ensure you feel relaxed and comfortable. We will talk to you about the procedure in detail, and will administer a local anesthetic to the area where the extraction is happening to numb it and keep you comfortable. We also have sedation, and will choose one of three options to help you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation, with little to no memory of the procedure.
Removal and Recovery
When you are ready and comfortable, we will gently extract the tooth with a pair of forceps. For wisdom teeth, we will open the gums above them to access and remove them. We then suture the area closed and may provide medication to help preserve the site, especially if we plan on replacing the missing teeth with dental implants. Once the procedure ends, a friend or family member can take you home, as the sedation takes time to wear off. At home, rest for the first day or two, take any prescribed medications as instructed, and avoid straw use. Eat soft meals, be gentle when you brush and floss, and don’t prod the site with your tongue. We want a clot to form and not be dislodged as part of the healing process.
Dental Implants
If we plan on replacing your extracted tooth, we could use a dental implant, which is inserted into the jaw and acts like a natural root. This helps secure a new tooth, or several, and prevents the jawbone in the process. If you have any questions about tooth extraction or dental implant placement, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy optimal oral health and a smile that makes you feel confident.
Talk to Our Team About Tooth Extraction in Santa Rosa, CA
Sometimes a tooth removal is necessary to preserve the health, function, and even their appearance of your smile. To learn more about how we gently remove teeth, then give us a call at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery at (707)545-4625 today!
