Which dental professional you have on your side can have a significant impact on your tooth extraction experience.
Dental extractions are one of the most common procedures we perform here at Bellflower Dental Group. Around the United States, millions of teeth are safely extracted due to oral disease, a crowded mouth, or tricky wisdom teeth.
You may need to see us for a tooth removal if:
Severe tooth decay and cavities has killed the tooth
Gum disease has loosened a tooth beyond saving
Your tooth is fractured or broken and can’t be repaired
Wisdom tooth pain or impaction
Crowded or extra teeth prevent orthodontic treatment
Depending on the type of extraction you need, you will need a dentist or oral surgery to remove your problem tooth. Our dental office has both on our talented staff team, but do you know when to have one perform your tooth removal procedure over the other? Let’s take a look.
What’s The Difference Between An Oral Surgeon And A Dentist?
A general dentist is what most of our patients think of when they remember their upcoming appointments to our office. These dentists focus mostly on your mouth’s health and preserving your smile. They often perform routine checkups, diagnose dental health problems, and restore your smile’s health with treatments like fillings, crowns, bridges, and extractions. Some general dentists can perform a few minor oral surgeries, including surgical tooth extractions. However, they tend to focus on simple and non-emergency removals.
Oral surgeons must complete an additional 4 to 8 years of residency to receive specialized training in oral surgery, oral pathology, anesthesia, and more. This uniquely qualifies them to take on a wider range of procedures. Oral surgeons help patients with everything from tooth extraction and implant surgeries to reconstructive treatments for the mouth and face.
An oral surgeon may be required to remove your tooth if:
Your dentist refers you to an oral surgeon. Not all dentists are qualified to remove teeth surgically. Those that do are not always capable of tackling the more complex cases oral surgeons can. These issues include large sinuses, bone infections, and facial structure problems that make it difficult for a dentist to remove the tooth comfortably. If your general dentist recommends you see an oral surgeon for your treatment, it’s always best to listen.
Your wisdom tooth is impacted. These teeth are fully or partially trapped under the gums, so an expert hand is often required to remove them without causing problems to nearby teeth. Even if your tooth isn’t impacted, however, an oral surgeon may still be necessary. Wisdom teeth are tough and can make it more challenging for a dentist to remove them.
Your tooth is cracked and in danger of breaking. These teeth are likely to fracture even further while being pulled. An oral surgeon can take care of your troublesome tooth if it does, no matter how severe the break.
Complications occur during your tooth removal. While not common, sometimes a tooth might have more complex roots than expected or a damaged tooth fractures during your procedure. When this happens, one of our Bellflower Dental oral surgeons will have to be called in immediately as an emergency dentist to ensure everything goes smoothly.
You wish to be dentally sedated. Due to how intensive oral surgery can be, most oral surgeons are trained in administering dental sedation like laughing gas and oral and IV sedation. An oral surgeon will often be called in before a tooth is pulled to ensure patients are ready and relaxed for treatment.
The Tooth Extraction Process
There are two ways to have your tooth removed at the dentist’s office: simple and surgical extraction. Which one your dentist recommends is contingent on the complexity of your tooth.
Simple Extraction
Simple extractions are performed on teeth that are fully visible above the gum line. First, we will numb your tooth with either a local anesthetic or dental sedative. Then, your Bellflower dentist will use a dental tool called an elevator to loosen your tooth so that it can be removed with forceps. Just as its name suggests, simple extractions are quick and easy for our dental professionals, allowing you to be in and out of our patient suite in as little as 20 minutes.
Surgical Extraction
If your tooth is trapped beneath the gum line, we will need to remove it directly from the gums. Surgical removal is most often done for patients who need a wisdom tooth extraction. Once we’ve numbed your mouth, a small incision will be made in your gums to allow us to reach your tooth. From there, we’ll keep things close to a simple extraction—loosening your tooth and pulling it free. We may need to cut the tooth into smaller pieces to ensure everything goes smoothly. This oral surgery often takes around 45 minutes, from start to finish.
Dos And Don’ts After Tooth Extraction?
To ensure your healing goes smoothly, please listen to any specific instructions and recommendations your dentist or oral surgeon gives you. As a general rule, these are the standard dos and don’ts of tooth extraction aftercare.
DO:
Take a day or two off from work to rest and recuperate after your procedure—try keeping your head in an upright position as much as you can, including while sleeping at night
Let your blood clot to help keep your healing on track and prevent dry socket—keep the initial gauze on your wound for 3 to 4 hours after your treatment and avoid poking or disturbing the extraction site
Use ice packs in 10 or 15 minute intervals to help soothe any discomfort you may have in the first day or two
Stick to a liquid and soft food diet for the first few days—creamy soups, yogurt, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, milkshakes, and applesauce
After 12 hours, use a saltwater rinse to keep your extraction site clean and clear of any plaque, bacteria, and food particles
Take any pain-relieving medications as prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon
DON’T:
Do any strenuous activities or labor for a few days
Drive for 24 hours if you were given dental sedation—you will not be able to drive yourself home following your procedure, so be sure to plan in advance to have a friend or family member pick you up after
Smoke for at least 2 or 3 days as this can keep your wound from healing properly and lead to dry socket
Spit, rinse your mouth, drink from a straw, or use blood thinners like aspirin as these actions can prevent blood from clotting
Eat on the side of your extraction for two weeks
Eat hot, spicy, hard, or crunchy foods for the first few days
Brush or floss your teeth near the extraction site
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a tooth extraction hurt?
While having a tooth pulled might seem scary, we promise that the entire process is painless. It’s every dentist’s priority at our dental office to guarantee our patients a comfortable and stress-free time in our care. With a local anesthetic, we can numb the area where we’ll work. You’ll only feel some pressure as our dentists carry out your treatment.
At Bellflower Dental Group, our dental professionals are highly-skilled at administering dental sedation to ensure a totally comfortable experience. Sedation prevents you from feeling a thing throughout your procedure and keeps your mind relaxed so you can enjoy your time in the dental chair. Some patients feel so calm and stress-free that they fall asleep mid-treatment! We recommend oral or IV sedation for patients with dental anxiety or who will have multiple teeth removed in a single visit, as is common with wisdom tooth extraction.
How do you prepare for oral surgery?
Before your surgical extraction, please listen to your dentist’s instructions and follow every step to the letter. You will be provided with a list of instructions to do before you come in for treatment to ensure your procedure and aftercare goes off without a hitch. Some of these preparations may include:
Do not eat or drink anything for at least 8 hours before treatment—taking a small sip of water with medication is acceptable
Know which ,medications to avoid a few days in advance, such as blood thinners
Pick up any medication you may need post-recovery in advance
Designate a driver who can drive you home following your procedure if you are taking oral or IV sedation
Stop smoking 12 hours before treatment
How much is a tooth extraction?
Your tooth extraction cost hinges on various factors. What type of extraction will be done? How many teeth will be removed? Is the tooth a wisdom tooth? Will you be using any dental sedation, and if so, which kind? How complex is the tooth? Are we going to be placing an immediate tooth replacement, such as an immediate denture? To find out your exact removal cost, please schedule a financial consultation with our Bellflower dental office at (323) 486-6579.
