Why Does My Tooth Extraction Require Oral Surgery?

Saving a tooth is always our top priority. However, when a tooth is damaged beyond repair, extraction may be your best recourse. We, at Avalon Dental Care, would like to reassure you that we will do everything we can to ensure your experience is comfortable and free of pain.

Why Can’t Your Tooth be Saved?

A tooth may need extraction due to trauma, extensive decay, disease, or crowding. Infected teeth that don’t respond to root canal treatment or those without enough bone to support them due to periodontal disease may also need to be taken out. At times, we need to extract wisdom teeth due to issues such as being impacted, or if they have the potential of causing problems.

Simple vs. Surgical Extraction

When a tooth is visible above your gum line and is readily accessible, the procedure is called a simple extraction. If a tooth is impacted or trapped in the jaw, however, we may need to remove gum tissue or bone to access it. That is called a surgical extraction and may require stitches to close the site for proper healing.

Do You Need a Surgical Extraction?

After taking an x-ray and examining the affected tooth, we will most likely determine whether your extraction will be simple or surgical. However, there are times a simple procedure turns into a surgical one, an example of which is a tooth breaking off during a simple extraction.

Wisdom teeth usually require surgical extractions, especially when impacted or not fully erupted. Other reasons you may need a surgical procedure include a severely broken down tooth, or one with long, curved roots. There are also times when the bone around a tooth is too dense, requiring surgical extraction.

Care After Extraction

After your oral surgery, you will need to bite down on gauze to stop the bleeding. If you experience swelling, an ice pack may help. Refrain from spitting forcefully, drinking from a straw, or smoking for 48 hours to avoid dislodging the clot forming in your tooth socket. Otherwise, you may develop a painful condition called dry socket. Make sure you follow the post-operative instructions we will provide you. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Gentle Tooth Extractions Near Me

At Avalon Dental Care, we will resort to any conservative treatment possible to save a tooth, but if you need an extraction, we are here to help. You can rest assured that we will do everything we can to ensure you are comfortable during the procedure. You can always count on us!