Of course, as dental professionals we’re focused on preserving natural teeth and ensuring our Newhall, CA, patients enjoy full and beautiful smiles. However, sometimes treating serious oral health concerns means removing a tooth, and this removal could help people avoid misalignment, infection, or damaged smiles. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about surgical tooth extraction.
When Do We Remove Teeth?
We may remove a tooth that sustains significant damage, or one that has become severely infected, which prevents the spread of infection to other teeth. Extraction may help correct misalignment by making room to reposition the other teeth. We’ve removed them as a result of advanced gum disease, and also to avoid wisdom tooth impaction. Our wisdom teeth arrive in our late teens and early 20s. Unless removed, these teeth could only partially erupt, known as an impaction, leading to infection, damaged teeth, and misalignment. By removing damaged, infected, or loose teeth, we help protect the health of your smile for years to come!
What Happens During an Extraction?
To begin, our team will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area around the soon-to-be removed tooth. We may also discuss the use of dental sedation to ensure the patient remains comfortable and relaxed throughout the procedure. For wisdom teeth, we will open the area of the gums above the teeth and gently remove them with forceps. For others, we may rock the teeth free and remove them carefully. Afterward we will suture the area closed. A friend or family member can bring you home. We will suggest you avoid prodding the extraction site with your tongue, avoid strenuous activity for the first day or two, and rely on soft foods for the first day or two. Brushing and flossing is possible, just be very gentle. We will remove the sutures and monitor the healing process in follow-up visits.
Can You Replace My Lost Teeth?
If we remove wisdom teeth, no replacement is necessary. But what if we take out a tooth due to infection or injury? In these scenarios, there is a gap that unless treated, could lead to complications for the health and appearance of your smile. Fortunately, we can help by replacing the missing teeth and filling the gap in your smile. We can offer lifelike dental bridges or possibly even single tooth dental implants. For more substantial tooth loss, we may discuss partial or full dentures. If you have any questions about addressing tooth loss or about our custom-made dental prosthetics, or if you think your smile could benefit from a tooth being removed, then contact our team today.
Do You Have Questions About Oral Surgery?
With a safe and comfortable dental extraction, we can help you enjoy optimal oral health. To learn more about how we remove infected or damaged teeth, then please schedule a consultation by calling Newhall Dental Arts in Newhall, CA, today at (661) 259-7760.