At Sloan Creek Dental, we take a conservative approach to dentistry as we do our best to try and preserve your natural teeth. Although there are situations where we may recommend a tooth to be extracted if it can’t be saved, such as a decaying tooth that is at risk of damaging the surrounding teeth. If a tooth does need to be extracted, we will thoroughly explain why we recommend it, and provide a personalized treatment plan to reestablish proper oral health. Thankfully, Dr. Feng is highly skilled in this procedure and will personalize a treatment plan that will make you feel comfortable and at ease during this time.
Tooth extraction procedures always involve the use of a local anesthetic. During this process, the local anesthetic will completely numb the surrounding area so you don’t have to worry about it being painful. If you experience anxiety at the dentist or you think you will want dental sedation during your oral surgery, please let our team know and we will be more than happy to add sedation to your treatment plan. Sloan Creek Dental offers nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation, which are both very safe and effective forms of dental sedation that can help reduce anxious thoughts and promote a sense of relaxation during the extraction.
After the examination, Dr. Feng will discuss your treatment plan with you so you may understand the specifics of the procedure. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area and make the procedure more comfortable. Depending on the procedure, there are two types of extractions:
After the procedure, Dr. Feng will clean the socket and place gauze on it to promote clotting. Depending on the treatment, you may be prescribed painkillers to help with pain.
Following the procedure, we will provide you with a recovery plan so that your gums can heal. The healing process can vary depending on the severity of the problem and what type of extraction you’re having. However recovery time in general is rather quick and over-the-counter pain medication in addition to applying ice to the treated area can help to reduce swelling. Here are some guidelines to help with the recovery:
After your tooth removal, we understand that thinking of a tooth replacement won’t be top of mind during your recovery. However it’s important to consider tooth replacement options sooner than later. With the tooth root no longer present, the bone in your jaw will begin to deteriorate leaving your surrounding teeth to shift out of place, cause unnecessary pain, and may cause further complications in the surrounding area. There are 2 options to replace a single tooth.
