Everything You Need to Know About Tooth Extractions

Teeth extractions may be necessary to protect your dental health and ease tooth pain. This is helpful especially when you have severe teeth damaged beyond repair, and extracting them is the best solution. If you have been experiencing frequent tooth pain, Midtown West tooth extractions specialist Ernest Tchoi, DMD, may help eliminate your discomfort.

Usually, tooth pain occurs due to cavities, infections among other dental issues. Extracting the tooth alleviates the pain and improves your overall oral health. Consider consulting Dr. Tchoi to learn more about tooth extractions.

What are tooth extractions?

Tooth extractions are dental procedures to remove damaged, crowded, or infected teeth. You can also have tooth extractions in cases where wisdom teeth have issues or when preparing for chemotherapy or an organ transplant.

With advanced dental technology, tooth extractions occur very fast and without any pain. The procedure also occurs under anesthesia to prevent any discomfort.

Who needs tooth extractions?

To check whether you need tooth extractions, your provider carries out an oral exam and evaluates your oral health history. He also conducts various X-rays using the onsite cone-beam computed tomography scanner.

It is critical to let your provider know about any underlying health issues since diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure may put you at risk of complications during treatment or recovery.

Reasons why you may need tooth extractions

• Teeth overcrowding
• Tooth trauma or injury
• Severe tooth decay or infection
• Delay in baby teeth falling out
• Orthodontic treatment

Types of tooth extractions

Dr. Tchoi offers various types of tooth extractions, including:

Simple tooth extractions

This type of tooth extraction is ideal for a tooth that is above the gum line. Under anesthesia, Dr. Tchoi conducts the extraction using an elevator for loosening the tooth and forceps to remove the tooth. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes, with no downtime, allowing you to carry on with your daily activities.

Surgical tooth extractions

Surgical tooth extraction is suitable for a tooth that has not broken through the gum line. The surgical extraction involves your provider making an incision on your gums and separating the damaged tooth, then using forceps to remove each piece and suturing your gums back up.

What to expect after a tooth extraction procedure

After your tooth extraction, you may experience some bleeding, gum sensitivity, and swelling. It is essential to take your medication as advised by your doctor. You should avoid strenuous work for at least 48 hours. You may apply an ice pack on your cheek to relieve swelling. It is also recommendable to:

• Take soft foods for the first few days, such as soup, eggs, mashed potatoes
• Avoid smoking for the first 24 hours
• Brushing and flossing regularly, taking caution on the extraction site

Though in rare cases, you may experience complications such as infection on the extracted area, sore jaw, or if you had a nerve injury during the procedure, you may experience numb chin and lips.

Talk to a tooth extraction specialist today

If you have a damaged tooth causing you sleepless nights, having it extracted may do you good. Contact Dr. Levine today to learn how tooth extraction can benefit you.