.png)
At Kite & Key Dentistry®, we offer gentle tooth extractions for Ridley Park and Folsom patients. Dr. Julia Winter uses the latest techniques and tools to extract troublesome teeth quickly. With sedation available for every patient, you can stay comfortable and get relief from pain and discomfort.
The most common reason that teeth need to be extracted is improper wisdom tooth eruption. The wisdom teeth come out between the ages of 17-25, and most people don’t have enough room for them. This results in the wisdom teeth partially erupting, growing in sideways, and other such complications that can cause tooth and jaw pain, and result in complications like tooth and gum infections. For these reasons, most people opt for wisdom teeth removal once they start to grow in.
Teeth may also need to be extracted if they are severely damaged due to an oral injury, tooth decay, or gum disease. While we will always try to save your teeth at Kite & Key Dentistry®, it’s not always possible to do so. To relieve your pain and prevent complications, it may be better to remove your tooth and restore it with a partial denture, dental bridge, or dental implant in Ridley Park.
In rare cases, tooth extractions may also be required for orthodontic purposes. If you have a very small mouth and crooked teeth, for example, one or more tooth extractions may be needed to provide your remaining teeth with more space.
.jpg)
Basic extractions are very simple to understand, and can be done on wisdom teeth and other teeth that have fully erupted from the gums. Dr. Julia will begin by cleaning and numbing the area, and administering sedation, if desired. Then, she will use special dental tools to wiggle the tooth and loosen it in the socket. When it’s ready to come out, she will remove it with a special pair of forceps. Next, Dr. Julia will clean, sanitize, and stitch the extraction site to promote healing. This process can be repeated for each tooth that is being removed.
Surgical extractions are primarily used for impacted wisdom teeth. In this procedure, Dr. Julia will temporarily move your gum tissue out of the way to reach the tooth that needs to be removed. Then, the tooth will be divided into smaller pieces and extracted piece-by-piece. Once all of the tooth material has been extracted, the area will be disinfected and sutured shut.
It will take about 1-2 weeks for your extraction site to completely heal. Bleeding, bruising, tenderness, and swelling are normal, and will usually peak about 48-72 hours after your procedure.
Dr. Julia will provide you with a comprehensive set of recovery instructions to use as you heal and recover. Follow them to the letter! Among other things, you’ll need to take things easy for a few days and avoid exertion and exercise, eat soft foods for a while after your treatment and ensure you clean your extraction site properly.
Not necessarily, no. You only need to have your wisdom teeth removed if they are causing you problems now or if their position in the mouth on x-rays suggests they could cause problems in the future. The issue with wisdom teeth is that there usually isn’t enough room in the jaw to accommodate these third molars. You should have your teeth extracted if you experience any of the following:
If your wisdom teeth have yet to erupt, we can take x-rays to look at how they are sitting in your jaw. If we can tell that they will erupt at an undesirable angle or not have enough room to come through at all, we will recommend that you have them extracted. It is better to have them extracted when you’re younger before the tooth roots have fully formed. This makes the procedure less complicated and the healing period will be much smoother and quicker. However, if your wisdom teeth aren’t posing any present issues, the decision to have them removed is ultimately up to you.
No, tooth extractions do not hurt because we administer a local anesthetic that completely numbs your mouth. This makes the procedure painless, and if you’re nervous, have low pain tolerance, or have tooth sensitivity, we can use additional sedation. Your pain following the procedure, once the anesthetic wears off, depends on the type of extraction, the location in the mouth, and your pain tolerance. Most people experience minor discomfort and swelling for the first few days that are mild enough to be relieved with anti-inflammatory pain medication.
You should not smoke after having a tooth extracted. Smoking prolongs your healing by increasing bleeding and inflammation, dislodging blood clots which put you at risk for Dry Socket, and also increases your risk of needing another extraction. This is because smoking is strongly correlated with an increased risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer (not to mention lung cancer). If you are a regular smoker, we understand that it can be difficult to quit cold turkey, so we suggest you try to quit smoking altogether well before your extraction and replace the activity with something else. You cannot smoke for at least 72 hours after an extraction.
At Kite & Key Dentistry®, Dr. Julia offers sedation with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for all patients. If you’re nervous about getting a tooth extraction in Ridley Township, we’re here to help. Contact us to learn more about sedation at our office, and to get the help you need.
If you need a basic or surgical tooth extraction, contact us at Kite & Key Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Julia Winter. We’ll take x-rays to assess the extent of decay or damage and determine if an extraction is the right option for you.
.png){kind=icon}
