At the office of Westwood Children's Dentistry, our top priorities are your child's care and well-being. While we do everything we can to preserve the integrity of your child's smile, it's sometimes necessary to extract a tooth to protect a child's oral health and support their overall well-being.
Some of the most common reasons our office may recommend having a tooth extracted include:
In most cases, a baby tooth will fall out as scheduled as the underlying permanent one begins to erupt into place. However, occasionally a baby tooth remains firmly attached to the bone. Either the baby tooth's roots have failed to resorb and shrink as intended, or the baby tooth has become ankylosed and fused to the supporting bone. The problem is that over-retained baby teeth can disrupt your child's smile development and alignment. As we monitor your child's smile as they grow, we'll advise you if and when a primary tooth extraction is required to facilitate the eruption of its underlying permanent successor.
Although it starts as a simple pinpoint defect on the tooth's outermost enamel layer, if left untreated dental decay progressively compromises healthy tooth structure as it works its way to the tooth's inner layers. Without proper care, a cavity can destroy more tooth structure, cause irreversible damage to the dental nerve, lead to an infection, and result in severe consequences to a child's oral health and overall well-being. In cases where a tooth has sustained far too much structural damage and cannot get restored, a dental extraction may be required.
Many different types of chips, cracks, and fractures can affect the teeth. The extent of the damage the trauma causes will determine if there is enough intact tooth structure to save the tooth and the type of treatment required. When too much tooth structure is compromised, an extraction may be necessary.
A tooth size to jaw size discrepancy often results in a crowded and misaligned smile. More simply put, the upper and lower jaws are not large enough to accommodate all the permanent teeth. As part of an orthodontic treatment plan to align the teeth and establish an attractive, healthy, and functional bite, the extraction of select permanent teeth may be required.
Does it hurt to have a tooth extracted?
Every child and every situation is different. As the tooth and the surrounding tissues get numbed with a local anesthetic, your child should only expect to feel a bit of pressure but no pain during the procedure. For children who are apprehensive or require more extensive procedures, we offer options in dental sedation to provide the needed relaxation and reduce any sense of discomfort.
What will my child feel when the anesthetic wears off?
While it's normal to feel some tenderness after an extraction, when the local anesthesia wears off, the degree of these sensations can vary. It mainly depends on the complexity of the extraction and the body's response to the procedure. In most cases, any discomfort should subside in a day or two. Over-the-counter pain medications can provide the additional relief that's needed in the short term. We'll also provide a list of post-operative instructions with "dos" and "don'ts" to help ensure healing.
The most common reasons for tooth loss include advanced periodontal disease, extensive tooth decay, and facial trauma. According to statistics, gum disease is responsible for close to 70% of tooth loss in adults. Although less frequent than the preceding three reasons, it should also be noted that specific diseases, drugs, smoking, and poor nutrition contribute to the risk of tooth loss.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that in the United States, an average of 12 teeth (including the wisdom teeth) are lost by the age of 50. Also, 26% of adults between 65 and 74 years of age have lost all their teeth.
Every patient and every situation is different. However, when a tooth and the surrounding tissues are numbed with a local anesthetic, you should only expect to feel a bit of pressure, but no pain as the tooth is being loosened from the surrounding tissues and extracted. For patients who are apprehensive and for some surgical extractions, our office will discuss our options in dental sedation to provide further relaxation and reduce any sense of discomfort.
While it's normal to feel some tenderness and swelling following an extraction, the degree of these sensations can vary. It mostly depends on the complexity of the extraction and the body's response to the procedure. We'll recommend or prescribe the appropriate pain medication to help ensure your comfort and give you specific instructions for maximum effectiveness and safety.
Typically, the recovery period following a simple extraction is shorter than a surgical extraction. However, a patient's overall health, habits, and the size and location of the tooth, and other variables can influence recovery and healing. To speed up the recovery and avoid any complications, patients must follow the given at-home instructions diligently. We'll carefully review what to expect following your procedure and go over your post-op instructions.
Smoking interferes with blood clot formation, which is an essential first step in the healing process. Blot clot formation not only provides a protective layer to cover the underlying exposed bone and nerve endings, but it also supports the growth of new tissue. Cigarette smoke also contains chemical toxins that can disrupt the healing process and lead to problems such as continued inflammation, infection, or dry socket.
In a very small percentage of cases, a condition known as dry socket can develop in the aftermath of a dental extraction. This painful condition can arise when the blood clot in the extraction site doesn't form properly or gets dislodged. With dry socket, you may experience throbbing pain and symptoms such as bad breath and an unpleasant taste in your mouth. As skilled providers of care, our office will provide immediate treatment to alleviate your discomfort and promote healing.
The last teeth in your mouth to develop, wisdom teeth often do not have enough room to fully erupt or may be positioned in the wrong direction. These issues can affect your dental health as well as overall wellbeing. While some individuals never develop all their wisdom teeth, and a few have sufficient space for them, there are many people with partially or fully impacted third molars. Our office will monitor the development, position, and health of your wisdom teeth and will advise you if and when extractions are indicated.
After a tooth is removed, bone-grafting material is sometimes placed in the socket to promote healing and encourage new bone development. This procedure is often performed to support the eventual and successful placement of a dental implant.
At the office of Westwood Children's Dentistry, we strive to make dental care affordable and accessible. Depending on the type or complexity of the extraction and other variables, the cost of the procedure can vary. Based on our diagnostic findings, our office will inform you of the healthiest choices in care, explain the fees, discuss insurance coverage, and explain your payment options.
Many dental plans offer some level of coverage for tooth extractions. We'll advise you if your plan covers the full cost of the procedure and if there is any out-of-pocket expense. Our business office will work with you to maximize your insurance benefits as much as possible while helping you minimize any out-of-pocket expenses.
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