Tooth Extractions – Owasso, OK
Gently Removing Your Hurting Teeth
Naturally, you want to keep your natural teeth for the rest of your life. Dr. Gaches will do all he can to make that a reality. However, there are times when teeth are beyond saving and must be removed to maintain your oral health. When tooth extractions are deemed necessary, they will always be performed with the utmost care to help you feel at ease at Infinite Smiles Dentistry. Our team will also help you get into your appointment quickly to alleviate your pain.
Why Choose Infinite Smiles Dentistry For Tooth Extractions?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments
- Practiced Dental Techniques For Comfortable Care
- Multiple Options For Tooth Replacement
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
Tooth extractions may be needed for many reasons including severe decay, advanced gum disease, overcrowding, or infection. Removing a problematic tooth can prevent further oral health problems and alleviate pain.
Pain relief and damage aren’t the only reasons why an extraction may be recommended by Dr. Gaches. Teeth might also need to be removed if:
- Room needs to be made for dentures or another form of tooth replacement.
- A baby tooth is getting in the way of an adult tooth erupting.
- You have an impacted wisdom tooth that is disrupting your oral health.
The Process of Removing a Tooth
Before extraction occurs, you’ll make plans for tooth replacement with Dr. Gaches. While you likely won’t be undergoing any additional treatment now, planning to replace your lost tooth is essential to maintaining your oral health in the future.
Once the extraction begins, Dr. Gaches will numb the area with local anesthesia to ensure your comfort. when you’re completely numb, he will use a special instrument called an elevator to loosen the affected tooth in the socket.
Next, a pair of dental forceps is used to gently rock the tooth from side to side until it wiggles free. The site will then be cleaned and treated with sterile gauze to promote clotting.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
After a tooth extraction, it's very important to follow Dr. Gaches’ aftercare instructions. This usually involves:
- Avoiding spicy, hard, or sticky foods.
- Gently swishing with warm salt water after the first 24 hours.
- Steering clear of the extraction site while brushing.
- Avoiding smoking and alcohol.
- Pausing the use of straws to avoid dislodging the clot.
- Holding off on strenuous exercise.
Following these guidelines and any others prescribed by Dr. Gaches will keep your extraction site clean and promote swift healing. Once you’ve fully healed, you can begin the tooth-replacement process to ensure you’re not affected by the lost tooth in the long term.
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
The wisdom teeth appear in the mouth around the late teens or early twenties. However, the lack of available space often leads to them becoming partially or completely trapped in the jaw, causing pain, overcrowding, and even infections during their failed eruption. We can use X-rays to check the status of your wisdom teeth and determine whether they need to be removed before they start causing problems. Regular dental checkups will ensure that the young adults in your life avoid any severe complications from irregular or impacted wisdom teeth.
Tooth Extractions FAQs
What’s Recovery for Tooth Extractions Like?
When you come to us for a tooth extraction, we will give you a series of aftercare instructions that can help you heal quickly and effectively. The most important factor is rest; you should take care not to strain yourself in the 24 hours after your procedure. You should also avoid dry socket, which can happen if the emerging clot is pulled out of place by suction in the mouth. You should avoid using straws, spitting excessively, or doing anything else that can dislodge the clot.
It's common to be a little bit sore for a few days after your procedure, so you should be sure to take any OTC or prescribed medication as directed.
What Are My Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth?
There are several options for how you can replace your missing teeth, and which one is right for you depends on your particular situation. A dental bridge can be used to replace a few missing teeth that are lying in sequence, and is constructed from a series of pontics set between two dental crowns.
There are also dentures, which are a series of artificial teeth on an acrylic base. These adhere via suction, and are ideal for patients who want to replace most or all of their teeth on a gum ridge.
Finally there are dental implants, which are artificial teeth connected to metal rods surgically placed in the jaw. These are strong and stable, making them an excellent method of tooth replacement. We’ll be happy to tell you more about the options available to you when we meet you in person.
Can I Leave the Space Empty After a Tooth Extraction?
Nobody really wants a gap in their smile, but some people are still tempted to leave the spot empty. This typically isn’t a good idea, as teeth will usually move to fill the gaps in the smile and create misalignments. Missing even a single tooth can also make it harder to process food, leading to poorer nutrition.
For these reasons, among others, it’s strongly recommended that you use one of the methods above to replace teeth that you’ve lost.
Can I Smoke After Getting a Tooth Extracted?
Tobacco products can delay healing in a variety of ways. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means that the flow of the blood to the mouth is disrupted by smoking. Moreover, vape and tobacco smoke can irritate the emerging wound directly, further delaying healing.
Many of these products also create suction in the mouth, which can pull the clot out of the mouth and cause dry socket. It’s therefore ideal that you refrain from smoking after your wisdom tooth procedure, at least for a few weeks after the treatment. If you’ve had trouble quitting in the past, let us know and we’ll be happy to help you.