Tooth Extractions – Michigan City, IN
Extractions Get You on the Road to Recovery
Your teeth are an invaluable asset, which is why our team will always make an effort to keep your natural smile intact. However, tooth extractions in Michigan City may become necessary to protect your oral health and relieve your pain. Our team carries out this restorative service with precision and compassion so you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Do You Need a Tooth Extraction?
An emergency dentist in Michigan City is the best person to determine whether you need to have a tooth extracted. Oftentimes, an alternative treatment, such as a crown or root canal, may be able to save a damaged or decayed tooth. When you visit us for your appointment, we will carefully evaluate the situation and recommend a treatment option.
In other cases, the need for an extraction has nothing to do with damage to a tooth. Rather, removing teeth may be necessary to make room for orthodontic treatment or to prevent wisdom teeth from causing problems in the future.
What Can You Expect During an Extraction?
Essentially, there are two types of tooth extractions:
During a simple extraction, we numb the tooth and the area around it. Then, we gently pull the tooth out of its socket. Simple extractions are often used to remove teeth that have fully erupted from the gm line.
A surgical extraction may be necessary for teeth that are partially or fully impacted (meaning that they are still below the gum line). Removing them may require that we make an incision in the gums and/or break a tooth into pieces to safely extract it. We often sedate patients for this type of procedure in order to ensure their comfort.
What Happens After a Tooth Extraction?
Depending on the nature of your tooth extraction, you can expect any lingering soreness and swelling to go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. In the meantime, eating soft foods, taking mild painkillers, and making a few adjustments to your oral hygiene routine can make your recovery as easy as possible. Following your procedure, we’ll give you detailed instructions on how to take care of the extraction site.
In cases where we must remove a damaged tooth, we often encourage patients to return to our office shortly after the extraction to talk about tooth replacement options. Either a bridge or a dental implant may be able to help you recomplete your smile and once again enjoy full dental function.
Tooth Extractions FAQs
Do Tooth Extractions Hurt?
It’s normal to worry that having a tooth removed might hurt, but rest assured, our compassionate team in Michigan City understands that you may feel anxious and will do everything we can to help soothe your frayed nerves.
For example, we’ll numb the area with a local anesthetic before starting your procedure, so that you might feel pressure while we work, but not outright pain. We also offer nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) that’s inhaled through a mask placed over your nose while we work. The effects of the medication kick in moments after you breathe it in, and dissipate just as quickly after the mask is removed.
Is There an Alternative Treatment to Having a Tooth Extracted?
It’s natural to have questions about your treatment and why it’s been recommended. You might even wonder whether another service might repair your troubled tooth to avoid an extraction.
For instance, if you have a severely damaged or decayed tooth, a root canal can sometimes alleviate associated aches and address the underlying infection. This is usually followed by placing a dental crown to restore your tooth’s appearance and allow you to continue using it normally.
However, if our team has recommended extraction, we’ve likely already determined that no other service can effectively address the root problem. In these cases, we may have no choice but to remove the offending tooth to preserve your oral health.
Can I Leave the Space Empty After My Procedure?
Some patients hoping to avoid additional dental work or save money might wonder whether it’s safe to leave their socket empty after treatment, especially if the space is in the back of their mouth and harder to see.
But there are complications associated with tooth loss that can be prevented by restoring your smile as soon as possible. For example, your remaining teeth are prone to shifting out of alignment to fill the gap in your grin, which can contribute to worn-down enamel, injuries, and even TMJ disorders. Our team is happy to recommend an appropriate replacement tailored to your unique needs.
What Are the Options for Replacing My Extracted Tooth?
Our Edgewood Dental team offers multiple options to rebuild your smile after your procedure, and we will gladly suggest the best solution for you based on your current dental condition, the number of teeth removed, and the reason for your procedure.
For example, those who have already suffered severe tooth loss might have any remaining stragglers removed for another service, like dentures, to be successful. We can also provide a customized dental bridge or dental implants to close the space in your smile.