Tooth extractions are a common procedure at any dental office. But how do you know whether or not your tooth needs to be removed? Dr. Ali Sarkarzadeh of Congressional Dental Group, a dentist in Rockville, MD, highlights what you need to know about tooth extraction.
Do I Need a Tooth Extraction?
At Congressional Dental Care, we always try to use the most conservative treatment options possible. We want to save as much of your natural smile as we can. But in certain cases, a tooth has to be extracted. This is done when it’s in the best interest of your overall oral health.
One of the most common reasons is severe tooth decay. Dental fillings are used to treat mild tooth decay, inlays and onlays can treat more severe tooth decay, and crowns can be used for even more serious cases. But sometimes the tooth is so far gone that it can’t be salvaged.
Extremely damaged teeth often need to be extracted as well. Sometimes they’re fractured and there’s nothing that remains but small pieces. You may be left with a small portion of the tooth that no restoration can salvage.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Impacted wisdom teeth are their own category of tooth extraction. These teeth erupt in your late teens or early 20s. The problem is that the jaws of most patients aren’t big enough to support these extra molars. They can lead to issues in the mouth like crooked or overcrowded teeth. If wisdom teeth do fully erupt, they usually aren’t in any functional position.
Throughout your family dentistry appointments, we’ll monitor the state of the wisdom teeth. This helps us to know if they’re going to cause problems in the future. If we think that they will, we’ll schedule a wisdom tooth extraction for you. As you continue to grow and age, the tooth roots for these teeth will grow as well, making removal harder, We want to make sure we get them as soon as possible.
For a wisdom tooth extraction, we can perform them right in our office. Typically, sedation is used for impacted wisdom teeth. This means that they’re stuck in an odd position under the skin. We want to make sure we can get them out and eliminate any pain that may be caused because of these teeth.
The Extraction Process
For a typical tooth extraction, we’ll apply a local anesthetic to the area around the tooth. The ligaments connecting the tooth will be severed and it’ll be gently rocked back and forth until it’s released from the socket. Gauze will be placed to help with any bleeding. If you decide you want this tooth replaced, we can discuss a single dental implant or other tooth replacement options.
Tooth Extractions at Your Rockville, Maryland Dentist
Do you have a tooth that you think may need to be removed? Call us or schedule an appointment online.