Tooth Extraction
Safe Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions are a routine, safe, and relatively painless procedure. You may have experienced this procedure before if you have had your wisdom teeth removed – but if you haven’t you may be feeling some nerves.
South Springs Dental Group can do some tooth extractions in the office, but in some cases, we may refer out to an oral surgeon.
Reasons You May Need a Tooth Extraction
There are plenty of reasons a tooth may need to be extracted, but we’re going to go over the most common reasons.
A dentist might recommend a tooth extraction in order to allow room in the mouth for proper tooth alignment. Other times, a tooth needs to be extracted when it’s badly damaged or decayed. An extraction will help relieve the pain and prevent infection.
The most common reason for tooth extraction is to remove your wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth removal is typically handled by oral surgeons. If your wisdom teeth are impacted it can stop your teeth from growing in correctly and ruin the current alignment of your teeth.
The Tooth Extraction Process
Tooth extraction procedures only take a few minutes and should mostly be pain-free. Most tooth extraction process looks similar to the following:
- Following your x-rays, the dentist or oral surgeon will review them with you and walk through the process with you.
- The dentist will use a local numbing agent for the tooth, gum, and bone. This will make the extraction process painless.
- In most cases, the dentist can remove the tooth using only applied pressure, rather than surgical intervention.
The Recovery
Following the procedure, your dentist will give you instructions to inform you how to properly care for the extraction site in the hours and days following tooth removal. Some patients might have to cover the extraction site with gauze.
If you are experiencing pain in the following days after a procedure, the dentist or oral surgeon may prescribe medicine. The gums should fully heal in just a matter of weeks, as long as the site is clean. After your extraction sites are healed, you might be interested in replacing the missing tooth with an implant, bridge, or denture.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
If you are located in Colorado Springs and you think you might need a tooth extraction, contact us to schedule a consultation! We are currently accepting new patients. But in some cases, we may refer out to an oral surgeon.