Having a tooth or several teeth extracted is a tough decision to make, but there are instances where choosing to have a tooth extracted is the only option left. At Old Milton Dental, we ensure that your comfort and wellbeing are looked after during and after your tooth extraction. We use innovative dental tools to help ease the discomfort of the dental anesthetic, and also provide you with a detailed set of instructions for you to follow after your tooth extraction. We can also provide you with all the information you need to explore our tooth replacement options like dental bridges, dental crowns, dental implants, as well as partial and full dentures.
Reasons You Might Need Tooth Extractions
Unfortunately, at some point in your life, it might become necessary to have a tooth extracted. At Old Milton Dental we like to do everything possible to treat your tooth before we recommend an extraction, but sometimes an extraction is your only option left. There are a few different reasons why an extraction may be necessary.
Your Mouth is Crowded
One of the first reasons why you might need an extraction is if your mouth is crowded. If you are exploring orthodontics, our dentist may need to extract your teeth in order to have the room to properly align your teeth. If there are too many teeth for the size of your mouth, you won’t be able to have straight teeth until the extra teeth are pulled and you go through orthodontics. In addition, if there is no room for a tooth to erupt in your mouth, our dentist will recommend pulling a tooth to make room for the new tooth.
An Infected Tooth
Once tooth decay takes over a tooth, the pulp can become infected. Eventually, the nerve will die and so will your tooth. In most cases, we are able to give you a root canal and antibiotics to treat this problem. While this is an option, it doesn’t always work. In the event that your infected tooth cannot be treated, we will need to extract it.
At Risk of Infection
If you have a compromised immune system for any reason, if one of your teeth are at risk for infection, we will extract it in order to reduce your risk of a serious infection you can’t fight off.
Periodontal Disease
If your gums have become infected with a severe case of periodontal disease, your teeth might begin to feel a bit lose. Unfortunately, at this point, the only thing that is left to do is to pull the teeth.
Wisdom Tooth Removal in Alpharetta
Another reason you might need an extraction is to remove your wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars that begin to erupt between the ages of 17 through 25. Some people never develop wisdom teeth. In most cases, patients either don’t have enough room in their mouth to accommodate the extra teeth or the teeth are impacted, or grow in at an angle. In these cases, the extra molars will need to be extracted to prevent further dental problems and to relieve pain. It’s important to have these removed as soon as they begin to give you problems.
What to Expect With Your Tooth Extractions in Alpharetta
If you need a tooth extraction from our Alpharetta dentist, we will walk you through your upcoming procedure. First, we will take the necessary x-rays to see if there are any additional details we should know about your extraction. Once we have our plan in place, we will use a local anesthetic to numb the area of your extraction. We will also give you any sedation dentistry you find necessary to relax. Once your mouth is numb, our dentist will extract your tooth using forceps by gently rocking it back and forth to loosen it. In some hard to pull cases, we will need to extract the tooth in pieces. When your tooth is impacted, we will need to cut through the gums to remove it.
Tooth Extractions Aftercare
After your extraction, you will need to follow our aftercare instructions to ensure the best results. First things first, do everything you can to control your bleeding. You will leave our office with a piece of gauze in your mouth. Make sure to keep this in place by biting down for 30 minutes. You will need to change the gauze after 30 minutes. You can expect the bleeding to slow down after an hour.
Try to avoid eating or doing anything in the area of your mouth that had the tooth extractions. Make sure that you brush carefully around the extraction site and avoid chewing in that area. For the first week, you should stick with a soft diet and avoid anything extremely hot or cold. Also, be sure not to drink with a straw or suck on anything at all as this can cause a dry socket. We will give you an oral antiseptic to rinse your mouth with to keep the extraction site clean.
You should also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for at least the first day. Make sure to take all of your prescribed medication and follow our instructions for caring for your stitches. With this aftercare information, you can be sure to have a steady recovery! Make sure to give us a call if anything feels off about your recoveries like excess bleeding or pain.
Visit Old Milton Dental for Your Next Extraction
If you’re in need of extraction in Alpharetta, don’t hesitate to give our dentist a call to schedule an appointment. We can complete all extractions including wisdom teeth removal. We also offer a variety of tooth replacement options to explore following your extraction. Give us a call or use our online form to schedule an appointment or to have any questions you might have about tooth extractions answered.
