Tooth extractions in Commack and Dix Hills

Steps of a Tooth Extraction

Most teeth extractions follow the same basic steps:

1. You receive a local anesthetic to make the area surrounding the tooth numb so you feel no pain during the procedure.
2. Your dentist may use a tooth remove instrument known as an elevator to loosen the tooth inside the gum socket.
3. Placing forceps around the tooth, the dentist then pulls the tooth from the gums.

Sometimes, however, a tooth removal procedure may be a bit more complex, such as when you need multiple teeth removed. In some cases, in addition to giving you an anesthetic to prevent pain, the dentist may sedate you to make you relax or fall asleep before beginning the procedure. If you have an impacted tooth, our dental professionals at Helfner Dental Associates may need to cut out a flap of your gum tissue to remove some of the bone surrounding the tooth or teeth to remove. If forceps are not sufficient to remove the tooth, the dentist may section the tooth into multiple pieces and extract each piece separately.

After Having a Tooth Pulled

After the tooth or teeth in question are removed, the dentist will clean out the gum socket and smooth the remaining bone. She may also need to close the gum tissue with sutures, also known as stitches. After suturing, the dentist will have you bite down on a piece of damp gauze in order to control any bleeding.

Why a Tooth Extraction is Performed

You may need to get a tooth pulled for any of several reasons, including:

• Tooth injured due to trauma
• Overcrowding or poor positioning of teeth
• Teeth damaged or already loosened by gum disease
• An abscess, or deep tooth infection
• Impacted tooth, like third molars (or wisdom teeth) creating issues

Risks of Getting a Tooth Extraction

It is not common for problems to occur after you have a tooth extracted, but if any issues were to occur, they may be the following:

• Swelling and bruising at the extraction site
• Pain or discomfort at the site where anesthetics were injected
• Incomplete relief of pain during tooth extraction healing
• Slowly healing wounds
• Nerve damage
• Infection
• In the days following the procedure, the blood clot formed in the socket falling out, called a dry socket
• Fractures that instruments utilized during the extraction have caused
• Damage to existing tooth restorations or other teeth
• Reaction to medicines taken preceding or following a procedure or to the local anesthetic

Following the Extraction

You can return home shortly after getting a tooth pulled. The dentist will place gauze in your mouth to control the bleeding and aid with blood clot formation. This clot fills the socket while the bone regrows.

During this time, your cheek and lips may still feel numb, though in several hours, this numbness will wear off. We recommend placing an ice pack on your cheek to help reduce swelling.

You may start to notice pain or discomfort as the anesthesia wears off, for which the dentist will suggest over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (eg. Advil, Motrin) or prescribe other pain medication.

After your recovery, you’ll need a follow-up appointment with your dentist to make sure the healing has gone properly.

Tooth Extraction Cost

The cost of getting a tooth pulled can vary considerably based on whether or not the tooth is impacted. The cost will be higher based on what type of anesthesia you choose and how much of it you need. If the tooth is impacted, the cost to extract it increases considerably.

If you think you may need tooth extraction in Commack, Dix Hills, or the surrounding area, call us at Helfner Dental Associates today, and we’ll schedule you for an evaluation with a knowledgeable and experienced dentist.