Dr. Jennifer Nguyen and Dr. Sang Kwon Seo will do everything to preserve your natural teeth. However, our dentists may sometimes need to remove one or more bad teeth. Severe tooth infections, impacted teeth, or overcrowding can compromise dental health. Cooper Family Dental offers tooth extraction treatment for patients with problem teeth in Arlington, TX.
Dental extractions are preventative and general dental treatments. Removing a problem tooth can prevent the spread of problems like tooth damage or infection. Removing a bad tooth can also improve your oral health and the comfort of your bite. Our office will ensure that you have a comfortable tooth extraction and help you through the healing process.
Common Reasons for a Dental Extraction
There are multiple reasons why you may need a tooth removed:
- Impacted Teeth: An impacted tooth does not have enough room to grow. In most cases, the jaw is too small to accommodate the tooth and gets stuck in the gums or jaw. As a result, impacted teeth can damage adjacent teeth and lead to overcrowding. Food debris can build between the impacted tooth and another tooth, increasing the risk of gum and tooth decay.
- Severe Infection: Dental cleanings are the first line of defense against tooth infections. If an infection spreads to affect the inside of the tooth, you may need fillings or a root canal. However, we must remove your tooth if you have a severe tooth infection. If your tooth structure is so decayed that we can’t save it, we recommend removing and replacing it.
- Overcrowding: We sometimes recommend removing one or more teeth if you have severe overcrowding. Then, we will recommend orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth. Removing a tooth will allow for more space for tooth movement.
Tooth Extraction Treatment in Arlington, TX
Dr. Nguyen can perform simple and complex tooth extractions. During a simple extraction, she removes a tooth above the gum line. First, she uses a local anesthetic to numb the tooth. Then, she gently wiggles the tooth back and forth until free. This treatment only takes a couple of minutes.
Complex extractions often require more time. Because of this, we recommend sedation. During a complex extraction, Dr. Nguyen will first use sedation to ensure you do not feel any pain. Sedation will also help you feel more relaxed during treatment.
A complex extraction removes teeth at or below the gum line. Because these teeth are more difficult to remove, she may need to remove the tooth in pieces.
After the tooth extraction, Dr. Nguyen will place gauze on the tooth sockets. Gauze helps blood clots form to protect the nerves. If these blood clots do not form or are dislodged, you can experience dry socket. Dry socket is highly painful. The best treatments for dry socket are pain medication, salt water rinses, and a soft diet.
Removing Wisdom Teeth in Arlington, TX
Wisdom tooth extractions are among the most common extractions dentists perform. The wisdom teeth grow behind the molars, or back teeth, and are the last adult teeth to grow. They are called wisdom teeth because they often grow later in life, when patients are in their teens or twenties.
In many cases, wisdom teeth can become impacted because there is not enough room in the mouth. Impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean. Harmful bacteria can collect between them and the molars. The wisdom teeth can also dig into and damage the molars.
Removing impacted wisdom teeth can prevent problems like tooth damage and overcrowding. Impacted wisdom teeth can also cause pain and discomfort when they grow. Your wisdom teeth are likely growing if you feel pain behind your molars. Contact us so we can help schedule your tooth extraction treatment.
Tooth Extraction: Post-Op Instructions
After your tooth extraction in our Arlington, TX office, follow these instructions:
- Keep gauze on your extraction sites. Gently bite down on the gauze and replace it every 30 minutes until the bleeding stops.
- Avoid smoking or using tobacco products. Nicotine can restrict the blood vessels, which inhibits healing.
- Do not use a straw. The sucking motion can dislodge the blood clot that forms over your extraction sites.
- Eat soft foods like pasta and mashed potatoes. Avoid hard and crunchy foods as you heal.
- Use a cold compress to reduce inflammation. Only use ice packs for fifteen minutes at a time.
- Take pain medication as prescribed.
- We will provide you with a pipette to bring home with you. Once you stop bleeding, use the water pipette to rinse food debris from the tooth sockets.
Please contact our office if you have questions as you heal. We will check in on you to ensure your health and comfort.
Tooth Extraction FAQs
Learn more about dental extractions with answers to these popular questions:
Do tooth extractions hurt?
No, we will numb your tooth before removal. Our office will also provide sedation if you have dental anxiety or longer treatment. We will ensure your comfort during your tooth extraction treatment. Once you heal from your tooth extraction, you will no longer feel pain from your problem teeth.
How much is a tooth extraction?
The cost of a tooth extraction will depend on these factors:
- Number of missing teeth
- Type of extraction
- Sedation
- Insurance coverage
How long does it take to remove a tooth?
A simple extraction can take minutes to remove a tooth. On the other hand, it can take several hours to remove multiple teeth at or below the gumline. We will provide an estimate of the length of your treatment.
Does it cost more to fix or remove a tooth?
If possible, our office recommends fixing a tooth before pulling it. Depending on the treatment, it can cost more to fix a tooth. However, in most cases, we must replace a tooth after removing it, which adds to treatment costs.
Do I need to remove my wisdom teeth?
We will only remove wisdom teeth if they are impacted or at risk of being impacted. If your wisdom teeth grow properly and do not cause problems for your other teeth, you will not need an extraction.
How can I replace my tooth after a tooth extraction?
We recommend dental implants to replace single missing teeth or all of your teeth. Implants can support single dental crowns, bridges, or dentures. We recommend implant-supported restorations over traditional or removable restorations because implants act as durable replacement tooth roots.
Get Comfortable Tooth Extraction Treatment Today
Call Cooper Family Dental at 817-646-1217 or schedule an appointment online. If you have any more questions about tooth extraction treatment, please contact our office. We’re here to help.