Tooth Extractions – Raleigh, NC
Protecting Your Smile and Providing Relief
Most people don’t want to hear that they need a tooth extraction. This is understandable, however, we don’t recommend this treatment lightly! Tooth extractions are a last resort option for troubled teeth that can’t be salvaged. Usually an oral condition like cavities or wisdom tooth impaction will cause trouble for your smile when left untreated, and also tend to be quite uncomfortable. A tooth extraction can offer relief in drastic situations, as well as protect the rest of your teeth.
Why Choose Lake Boone Dentistry For Tooth Extractions?
- Compassionate And Caring Team
- Focused On Helping You Feel Comfortable
- Natural-Looking Tooth Replacement Options
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
We already mentioned two possible reasons why you might need a tooth extraction, but there are other situations where this treatment could be the best solution for your smile. Here are some more specific examples:
- Infection or decay. In severe cases, infection or decay could spread to nearby teeth, making the situation worse.
- Weak structure. We’ll do our best to restore any dental damage, but sometimes a tooth is too weak to support a crown, filling, or bridge.
- Dental crowding. This is when there’s not enough space in your mouth for the number of teeth you have; an extraction will create more room and ease the strain on your pearly whites and gums.
- Wisdom tooth complications. Wisdom teeth can sometimes contribute to dental crowding, become trapped below the gumline, or grow in at hazardous angles – it’s often best to remove them in these situations.
The Process of Removing a Tooth
There are two types of extractions we can perform, depending on your needs. This means the first thing we’ll have to do is thoroughly examine your mouth and take X-rays to fully understand the situation. Based on our findings, we’ll either recommend a simple extraction or surgical extraction.
- Simple extractions are for teeth that have fully erupted. We’ll administer the appropriate anesthetic, then gently wiggle the tooth loose until it comes out.
- Surgical extractions are for teeth that are trapped below the gumline. After administering an anesthetic, we’ll have to make a small incision to reach the tooth, and may have to section it into pieces for safe removal.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
To help ensure your recovery goes smoothly, there are a few aftercare guidelines you should follow. We’ll be sure to review these instructions as part of your treatment, but if you’d like to get an idea of what tooth extraction recovery will look like, here’s what you can expect:
- Avoid actions that could dislodge the treatment site blood clot, such as smoking, drinking through a straw, spitting, brushing the area, or strenuous activity.
- Stick to a soft food diet that consists of meals such as soup, scrambled eggs, or yogurt.
- Keep your head elevated while you sleep or lie down.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed.