If a tooth extraction is needed, our dental professionals will ensure you’re taken care of every step of the way. We pride ourselves on making the procedure comfortable and stress-free.
What is a Tooth Extraction?
A tooth extraction is a dental procedure that involves completely removing a severely damaged tooth. At Carolina Oaks Dental Care, our dentists perform simple extractions and surgical tooth extractions in Greenville, SC. While we always try to save your natural tooth, sometimes an extraction can’t be avoided. When that’s the case, we use a gentle approach and offer a variety of options for anesthesia to ensure the procedure is painless.
Reasons for Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions may be necessary to remove permanent teeth that have been extensively damaged due to injury or decay and are causing problems within the mouth.
Damage from Sports
Often, a tooth needs to be removed after it has become damaged as the result of an injury or an accident. For example, patients who neglect to wear their mouth guard while playing sports may need to have teeth extracted after sustaining an injury while playing.
In other cases, the tooth may need to be extracted because it has become too damaged because of neglect or decay. In some instances, these issues may be resolved by installing crowns or veneers, but if the damage to the tooth is too extensive then your dentist in Greenville, SC will recommend extracting the tooth.
‘Crowded Mouth’ Problems
In some cases, a dentist will pull teeth to prepare a patient for orthodontic procedures, such as installing braces or preparing the patient to use a retainer.
Similar issues may include too many teeth present in the mouth to allow for proper orthodontic procedures to take place, or the teeth present in the mouth may be too big for the jaw, resulting in “crowding” teeth.
Solving Issues with Erupting Teeth
When a tooth pushes through the gums it is called “erupting” and in some cases the tooth (or teeth) may not be able to break through the layer of gum, becoming trapped and leading to painful swelling and inflammation.
Often, it is wisdom teeth which have trouble erupting, usually due to a crowded jaw or because they are facing the wrong way as they begin to emerge. In these circumstances, your dentist in Greenville, SC will extract the problem tooth to avoid an infection from forming inside the gums.
What Your Dentist Needs to Know Before a Tooth Extraction
Having a tooth pulled is generally a safe and simple procedure, however, it’s important to take precautions to prevent infection.
With this in mind, it is essential that you inform our Greenville dental office about your complete medical history and any medications and/or supplements you may be taking.
Some other issues that your dentist needs to know about are:
- If you have a congenital heart defect
- If your immune system has been impaired or compromised
- If you have liver disease
- If you have a history of bacterial endocarditis
- If you have any artificial joints, such as a hip replacement
- If you have a replacement heart valve
