Extractions
Tooth or teeth extractions can feel a little scary—especially when one is not comfortable with their dentist. Here at Gentle Smiles of Colorado, our staff and doctors strive to create an atmosphere of friendliness and produce an overall stress-free environment. Rest assured that if this is a procedure that you must undergo, we’ll explain the whole process and be as gentle as possible—just see how our patient’s feel about their visits!
What Is An Extraction?
An extraction is the complete removal of a tooth or teeth and can also be referred to as "pulling" a tooth. This dental process can be necessary when:
- Primary teeth are in the way of a permanent tooth's eruption. When this occurs it can be quite painful because one of your teeth is literally in the way of another tooth coming in through your gums. The primary tooth exists in the permanent tooth’s position and the permanent tooth has no “choice” but to keep pushing on the already existing tooth, going through the gums, or attempting to squeeze in between other teeth (this can cause issues with your teeth alignment). Inevitably, the patient will elect to have the primary tooth removed to resolve the pain and future issues.
- A tooth has suffered extensive, irreparable decay. You may believe that a decaying tooth will just fall out on its own. This may be the case but not before causing further damage to your overall health. If your tooth is decaying, you’ll feel pain in the nerve endings of your tooth and the decay may spread if it’s being caused by an infection! Best to err on the side of caution and remove the bad tooth before things get worse.
- Severe gum disease has compromised the tooth's integrity. This is very literally the “root” of the problem. Gum disease will actually start to deteriorate your tooth’s health until it can no longer be saved. Unfortunately, without proper care (such as teeth cleanings and daily brushing and flossing), a tooth extraction becomes the last choice.
- The tooth has become impacted (which is exceedingly common for wisdom teeth) which means there isn’t sufficient amount of room in the jaw to erupt. This instance is similar to a primary tooth not allowing the eruption of a permanent tooth. In the end, a tooth extraction will be necessary to alleviate pain and to keep your natural teeth alignment intact.
We can perform extractions surgically or non-surgically depending on the severity and complexity of the case. Regardless, we'll administer a mild anesthetic to make sure you're comfortable during the procedure.
How Does The Procedure Work?
Receiving a dental bridge is very similar to the process of receiving a dental crown. Similarly to the dental crown, the procedure for dental bridgework takes two appointments. The groundwork is accomplished on your first appointment for your future dental bridge:
- We numb the area where the bridge will be placed, particularly the gap where the permanent tooth used to be and the neighboring teeth.
- We resculpt the tooth, helping create a perfect fit for the bridge.
- We'll make an impression of the gap and the surrounding crowns, either physical or digital, then use it to manufacture your own customized tooth mold that will be made with the two supporting crowns at the end of it.
What Should I Expect During The Procedure?
The tooth extraction is not as scary or complicated as it may seem. It can either happen with surgery or without depending on the location of your tooth or teeth. Your Golden dentists will be sure to numb the area where the extraction is about to take place and gently remove it so as to not add additional discomfort to their patient’s experience. Afterwards, either Dr. Wachuta or Dr. Heilman will cover the socket (the gum opening where your tooth previously resided) with a gauze to control the bleeding that results from the removal and may place stitches over the wound. We recommend staying away from hard foods, drinking beverages with straws, and keeping away from hot foods. Enjoy some soft foods and cold treats while you’re recovering. Over-the-counter painkillers will help ease the pain during the next few days as well.
Contact Our Expert Dentists For Your Tooth Extraction!
Our doctors are standing by should you need to schedule an appointment for a tooth extraction. Don’t let the fear of coming to the dentist keep you suffering dental pain caused by tooth decay or an impacted tooth. Contact our friendly and knowledgeable staff in Colorado to start the proceedings of your tooth extraction—the end of your tooth pain is just a phone call away!