We Make Tooth Extractions Easy on Our Patients

You likely know that getting a tooth pulled as an adult differs from losing a baby tooth as a child. The roots of adult teeth are fully formed and set in their places. Therefore, if your dentist recommends tooth extraction, the reason is to correct a problem and preserve your oral health.

At Beckham Square Family Dental, we perform tooth extractions every day. Our patient-centered approach and gentle dentistry take the discomfort and pain out of tooth extraction. If you’re facing a tooth pulling, here’s what you need to know.

When Adult Teeth Need Extraction

There are several reasons our dentists might recommend an adult tooth extraction:

  • Tooth decay
  • Crack in the tooth
  • Break inside the gum line
  • Infection in the gums, teeth, or jaw
  • Crowding as teeth shift
  • Poor tooth support due to gum disease
  • Making room for adult braces
  • Extraction and replacement to correct bite misalignment
  • Damage due to facial trauma

Other reasons for tooth extraction stem from non-dental conditions. For example, cancer patients are more susceptible to tooth infections and decay, and patients with diabetes or heart problems are much more vulnerable to developing periodontitis. In these cases, tooth extraction is just as much about mitigation as prevention.

How to Prepare for Your Tooth Extraction

One of the first things you should do to prepare for tooth removal is to communicate with your doctor about your overall health and medical history. A prescription drug you’re taking or a medical issue could affect how you respond to anesthesia, even causing a life-threatening allergic reaction. Here’s what else you should do leading up to your appointment:

  • Provide a comprehensive list of medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In addition to anesthesia concerns, some medicines can hinder your ability to heal after the procedure. Others may limit the types of antibiotics you can take.
  • Call our office if you feel sick in the days leading up to the tooth extraction. It’s best not to undergo any procedures if your immune system is compromised. We may need to reschedule your appointment.
  • Call our office to reschedule if you’ve had nausea or vomiting the day before your procedure. With vomiting, you risk getting stomach acid and bile in a freshly-pulled tooth socket that’s trying to heal.
  • Don’t smoke—before, after, or anytime. Smoking may mean you’ll need more teeth pulled in the future.
  • Make sure you have a friend or family member come with you to your appointment so that they can drive you home.
  • If you know you’ll be receiving more than just local anesthesia, don’t eat or drink for 8-12 hours before the procedure.

The Tooth Extraction Process at Our Cincinnati Office

There are two types of tooth extractions: simple and surgical. Your dentist will tell you ahead of time which one they’ll use to remove your tooth.

A simple tooth extraction is just as it sounds. You’ll be given local anesthesia. You won’t feel any pain during the procedure but will still notice some pressure as the dentist removes the tooth. They use a small tool to pry the tooth up to loosen the roots, followed by forceps to complete the extraction. By the time the anesthesia wears off, you’ll already be home on the couch with an ice pack on your face.

Surgical tooth extractions are necessary when the tooth is under the gum line, or the dentist needs to get to the bone around the tooth because of advanced infection. An oral surgeon or family dentist can perform this procedure. After delivering local and intravenous (IV) anesthesia, the dentist will make an incision into the gums to reveal the tooth and extract it once enough of the tooth is exposed. Sometimes, they may need to remove some bone around the tooth to eliminate all traces of infection.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare is Integral to Healing

Proper care after a tooth extraction minimizes recovery time and alleviates discomfort during healing. Avoid touching the site of the extracted tooth, and keep your mouth clean. Here are additional guidelines to help with your recovery:

Do:

  • Keep your head above your heart for the first day.
  • Change your gauze regularly. Avoid letting it get completely soaked through.
  • Rest for at least a couple of days.
  • Stay hydrated.

Don’t:

  • Drink anything through a straw.
  • Directly brush the site of the extraction.
  • Smoke.
  • Exercise or do anything to raise your blood pressure in the first 2-3 days.

Your body begins protecting the exposed bone in the empty socket immediately following the procedure. Your mouth knows that exposed bone in the mouth can invite contamination, so it forms a clot that covers the empty socket for added protection. Disrupting that process could mean dislodging the clot and ending up with a dry socket or an oral infection.

A Local Family Dentist who Performs Tooth Extractions

Whether it’s because of crowding, tooth decay, gum disease, or an accident, you need a local family dentist you can trust to perform your tooth extraction and subsequent dental care. You want a provider close to home, has room in their schedule for emergency dental appointments, and displays an ideal mix of compassion and skill.

Beckham Square Family Dental is Cincinnati’s premiere family dental practice. We provide family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, restorative treatments, and emergency dental services. Our family practice is close to home, conveniently located off I-275 and SR40 just north of Cincinnati, near Blue Ash, High Point, Evendale, and Sharonville. Our staff live and work in these local communities, so they know the importance of a Cincinnati dental practice offering convenient morning and evening hours.

If you have a toothache and need dental treatment or a tooth extraction, contact our office at 513.489.7800, no matter what time of day. Our friendly staff is focused on getting you the gentle, top-quality dental care you need when you need it.