No Fear: Our Relaxed Approach to Tooth Extraction and Gentle Dentistry

You can feel your heart sink into your stomach. A tooth’s been giving you trouble, and your dentist suggests an extraction may be necessary. Lose a tooth? That’s what happens to kids or later in life, not to you!

At Beckham Square Family Dental, we understand that the thought of a tooth extract be overwhelming. But we can assure you that tooth extraction is only a last resort. Your teeth are an essential part of your health. They aren’t meant to come out.

But there are cases when a can’t be adequately repaired. The good news is that, as dental professionals, we help patients with tooth extractions every day. Because of our gentle dentistry policy, we can remove your tooth without any pain on your part. Usually, our preferred methods for restoring damaged teeth are either installing a veneer or a crown. However, other factors sometimes weigh in, making a tooth extraction the best option.

Common Reasons for Tooth Extraction

The most common reasons for having teeth pulled are trauma, disease, or crowding. Perhaps a tooth cannot be repaired with a crown or filling. The decay is too extensive, or you’ve had an accident that has damaged the tooth, perhaps below the gum line, where a crown cannot be attached.

Perhaps you have an infection you’ve long put off, and it’s reached the point of no return. In this case, we’d recommend extraction to quickly and efficiently address the infection.

You’ve Had an Injury

If you have a dental emergency involving an injury and not enough of the tooth remains to save it, we may recommend removing it altogether. As is standard in restorative dental care, we often provide a dental implant, a cosmetic replacement tooth anchored on a titanium post that’s placed in the jawbone, with the replacement functioning like your original tooth.

The Best Solution to Extensive Periodontal Disease

Sometimes a tooth extraction is the best way to treat extensive periodontal disease, an advanced gum infection. As the disease progresses, the gum may loosen and no longer hold the tooth in place. In these cases, extraction is often necessary.

When Cost Is a Factor

Cost, along with long-term prognosis, also factor into the decision to extract a tooth. When we rattle off some big numbers, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Keep in mind that we offer several payment options. You might also inquire about our in-office savings plan, especially if you don’t have dental insurance. Enrollment gives you access to preventive care, discounts on many procedures, and other benefits.

An extraction can be the most cost-effective solution, especially given the high cost of root canal therapy and other restorative treatments. For example, a root canal can cost as much as $1,500 per tooth, even with good dental insurance. It may be more economical to extract the tooth and replace it with a dental implant or another option when you can afford it.

The Difference between Simple Extractions and Surgical Extractions

Sometimes a tooth is clearly visible above the gumline, and your dentist can simply remove it with forceps. This is called a simple extraction, which we perform at Beckham Square Family Dental.

Occasionally, gum tissue or bone will need to be removed along with the tooth, a procedure known as a surgical extraction. Other reasons include an impacted tooth, difficulty reaching it, or a fracture below the gumline. Surgical tooth extraction is the most common surgical procedure performed in the United States. As the name implies, it involves surgery and requires stitches to promote proper healing. If, after examination, we recommend surgical extraction, we can refer you to an experienced, trusted surgeon in Cincinnati.

At Beckham Square Family Dental, we typically take an X-ray and examine the tooth to determine whether a surgical extraction is necessary. Wisdom teeth typically require surgical extraction. If your tooth is broken due to an injury and not enough of it remains to grasp with forceps, we’ll recommend a surgical extraction. Some procedures start as simple extractions, but the tooth breaks. In this case, we’ll likely have to perform a surgical extraction and remove the tooth in pieces.

After the Procedure

Whether you have a simple or surgical extraction, proper follow-up care is essential for optimal healing. After your extraction, we recommend the following after-care practices:

• Avoid unnecessary talking, eating, and drinking for the first two hours after extraction.
• Drink plenty of lukewarm or cold liquids after the bleeding subsides.
• Maintain your diet, but stick with clear liquids and soft foods for the first day.
• Avoid rinsing or brushing your teeth for 12 hours.
• Avoid the surgical area when brushing, although you can gently rinse with a diluted mouthwash or 1/4 teaspoon of table salt in a glass of lukewarm water
• Don’t use straws, smoke, or spit forcefully as long as there is bleeding.
• Follow your dentist’s instructions on using any prescribed pain medications.
• Call your dentist if you have any persistent pain or bleeding.

Contact your dentist if your pain doesn’t go away, you experience persistent bleeding, or the swelling increases after 2-3 days. These signs may indicate an infection.

It’s natural to feel intimidated by the thought of a tooth extraction. However, most of our patients are surprised at how comfortable and pain-free the procedure actually is. Gentle dentistry has come a long way, and it’s our mission at Beckham Square Family Dental. If, during an examination, we recommend an extraction, we can answer your questions and, if necessary, refer you to an experienced dental surgeon. Our goal is to make the process as clear as possible, including how we can make you more comfortable.