Stop Toothaches and Infections With Tooth Extractions
When at all possible, the team at our dental office will try to save your tooth. For example, we can try tooth-colored fillings, inlays, onlays, root canals or dental crowns, all to repair a damaged tooth. But there are times when keeping a tooth in your mouth will actually cause more harm than good. That is when a tooth extraction is needed.

Why Do Teeth Sometimes Need to Come Out?
There are a few reasons it might be best to extract a tooth:

  • Severe damage: Whether it is from tooth decay that has been ignored for too long or from a bad accident, some teeth get too damaged to fix. A dental crown can keep a fractured tooth together, but only if there is enough tooth left to hold together.
  • Severe infection: Root canal therapy can remove an infection from the pulp inside of a tooth, but if the infection has been left untreated for too long, there might not be enough healthy tooth left to make it worthwhile. The same is true for advanced gum disease — if the infection has loosened any teeth, they may need to be removed.
  • Primary tooth is still there: All of your primary teeth are supposed to be replaced by your adult teeth, but some people never get all of their adult teeth for various reasons. Since primary teeth are not supposed to be there permanently, it can be better to remove them when nothing is going to make them come out on their own.
  • Crowded smile: Your smile is supposed to look even and tight, but when your adult teeth come in, the end result could look crowded and pushed together instead. Only by removing the tooth can you get the smile to look normal again.

How Does Dr. Airey Remove the Tooth? Will It Be Painful?
When it is time for the extraction, you will be given local anesthesia to numb the area. If necessary, we can also offer dental sedation such as laughing gas or oral medication. Dr. Airey will then loosen the tooth before finally extracting it. Thanks to anesthesia and dental sedation, most tooth extractions are easily tolerated, even wisdom teeth removals.

What Do I Need to Worry About After It Is Done?
There is usually some discomfort for a few days afterward, but over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen can be taken to help with that. If an incision has to be made, you will likely have to bite down on some sterile gauze for up to 30 minutes to make sure there is no bleeding. If there is any swelling, use ice packs on the outside of your mouth. For at least the next few days after the extraction, plan on eating soft, cold or room-temperature foods only. Do not use a straw (which can break open the site and cause it to start bleeding again) and do not use tobacco of any kind (cigarettes, cigars, chew or vaporizers) for up to three days.

Extracting a tooth is actually a straightforward procedure that can save you a lot of time, pain and money in the long run. To learn more about our tooth extractions in Boone, North Carolina, or to schedule your next appointment with our dentist, give Appalachian Dental Care a call today at 828-264-9938 or use our online form.

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