There are a wide variety of reasons why a tooth might need to be extracted. A tooth that has been severely fractured or has suffered from a large amount of decay might not be able to be saved. People with braces might also need to have a tooth extracted in order to make room for the other teeth to be moved into a correct alignment.
Sometimes your dentist can extract the tooth, if it is clearly visible in the mouth. This is usually a simple procedure where they loosen the tooth and lift it out of the socket using a tool called an elevator.
In certain cases, where the tooth might be broken off in the gums or there is not very much of the tooth left, we might refer you to an oral surgeon. Oral surgery is an outpatient procedure that might require sedation anesthetic. If this is the case you will need someone to drive you home after the procedure. It’s also a good idea to give yourself a day or two to get back on your feet after the procedure.
In most cases x-rays will be taken before hand to assess the severity of the problem or to get a better understanding of a tooth’s relationship to the sinus cavity.
If you have a weakened immune system or other medical conditions that put you at risk for an infection, your doctor or dentist might prescribe antibiotics to be taken before or after the extraction procedure.
Your dentist or oral surgeon might also prescribe painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication to help with pain management during recovery.
If you think you might need a tooth extracted or have questions about how to prepare for an extraction please feel free to call us at 619-591-8945 to schedule an appointment.
