Dallas Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Tooth Extractions
Here at Dallas Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, we provide simple or surgical tooth extractions services.
Tooth extraction is the intentional removal of a tooth from its socket. Both children and adults can have this procedure. In children, we do it when their milk teeth delay or interfere with the growth of permanent teeth. In younger and older adults, we perform extractions for many reasons.
If there’s been damage from physical trauma to the tooth, and repair is not an option. If an infection has caused it to decay. We may also perform this action if you are experiencing overcrowding in your mouth. Alternatively, if in the normal process of coming out, a tooth breaks, and part of it is stuck in the jawbone.
What To Expect During A Tooth Extraction?
Before the procedure, we’ll need to get your full medical and dental history. We need a list of all your daily prescriptions and over the counter medications. This information helps us avoid any complications during the procedure. We may need you to take antibiotics before and after surgery. This depends on what our dentists or dental surgeons find in your examination. You may need antibiotics if there are signs of infection, you have a weak immune system or if you have a specific medical condition.
Your procedure will start with an x-ray. We will use the image to assess the best way to remove the affected tooth. Simple extractions are the most common type we perform, and they take about 45 minutes. Surgical extractions may run a little longer.
After numbing the area. our dentists or dental surgeons then use an instrument called an elevator. It loosens and separates the gum tissue from around your tooth. It looks like a chisel, and it helps us widen the tooth socket. This allows the tooth to come out with minimal resistance.
We then use plier-like instruments called extraction forceps to remove the tooth. You should not be in any pain, only pressure. If you feel any pain, please tell us right away. There’s an added layer of complexity in surgical extractions. We may use general anesthesia or IV sedation along with local anesthesia to ensure you are comfortable.
We will need to make small incisions first if the tooth is beneath the gum. We’ll then follow the same steps as in a simple extraction to remove the tooth. We use dissolvable stitches to close the cuts we make. These disappear after a few days.
In both simple and surgical extractions, we place a piece of gauze over the hole. This material promotes clotting and wound healing. We’ll have you bite on it for about 20 to 30 minutes to encourage clotting. After a surgical extraction, you may need help as the anesthesia wears off. It’s a good idea to arrange transportation ahead of time.
Don’t hesitate to call Dallas Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at 972-733-0414 today if you need a tooth extracted, or if you have any questions about your upcoming surgical procedure.
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