At Arrowhead Dental, our goal is to help you maintain a beautiful smile and pristine oral health. If a tooth is problematic or poses a threat to your overall oral health, an extraction may be necessary. Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. Although an extraction may sound like a bad experience, modern technology allows us to minimize or eliminate pain and provide an excellent prosthetic replacement.
Reasons for a Tooth Extraction
The most common reason for tooth extraction is damage and decay. In most cases, we will try to fix a tooth with a filling, crown or other treatment; however, sometimes there is just too much damage to save the tooth.
Other reasons include:
Extra teeth
- Some patients are born with extra teeth. These teeth may block other teeth from erupting.
Orthodontic treatment
- Certain orthodontic treatment may also require extraction to create room. With the proper room, other teeth can be easily moved to their proper positions.
Delayed primary teeth
- Some patients have primary teeth that do not fall out in time. They can prevent permanent teeth from properly erupting.
Wisdom teeth
- Wisdom teeth are often extracted before and after they erupt. In some cases, they may become impacted and cause discomfort or infection. They may also irritate the gum tissue and cause a cyst.
Immune-affecting drugs
- Some medications can cause a patient to develop an infected tooth. These drugs weaken the immune system and may make you unable to properly fight the infection
Radiation treatment
- Patients receiving radiation treatment may also need an extraction if the treatment area includes your head and neck
Tooth Extraction Procedure
During preparation, Dr. Jordan Argyle, Dr. Jonathan Morgan and Dr. Greg Dover will take an X-ray of the area to better plan the extraction. We may also recommend a 3D CBCT scan. If you are having your wisdom teeth removed, we may order a panoramic X-ray to get a picture of all your teeth at once. Once we have developed a proper treatment plan, we can schedule the procedure.
There are two types of extractions: simple and surgical.
A simple extraction can only be performed on a tooth that has already erupted. During a simple extraction, we will loosen the tooth with an “elevator” and remove the tooth with forceps. A tooth is loosened from the connective tissues, ligaments and bone by gently swaying it back and forth in the socket. Even the simplest extraction must be performed with local anesthetic.
A surgical extraction is performed on a tooth that has broken off at the gumline or becomes impacted. During surgery, a small incision is made in the gum tissue to expose and remove the tooth. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove some of the surrounding bone, as well. Surgical extractions involve local anesthetic, but other forms of sedation are available for patients with fear or anxieties associated with oral surgery.
Removing a tooth can cause a cascade of unfavorable events including teeth shifting, significant bone loss and changes to one’s appearance. We can eliminate these complications by grafting bone into the extraction sites and providing an opportunity for all tooth replacement options.
After a Tooth Extraction
After your extraction, we will give you a set of detailed care instructions. You may experience some minor discomfort for the first few days after surgery. We recommend ice packs on your face to reduce swelling and discomfort. Be sure to eat soft and cool foods during this period. After a few days, the discomfort should subside. If it worsens, please contact us immediately.
Call our office today at 307-789-5210 to schedule an appointment with our dentists and learn more about tooth extractions in Evanston, Wyoming.
