You may need a tooth extracted for a number of different reasons. Your tooth may be infected or damaged, or you need your wisdom teeth to be taken out before they cause more serious problems. But how can you tell if your tooth needs to be extracted? Dr. James D. Furgurson in Chapel Hill, NC explains.
A Last Resort
In most cases, tooth extraction is viewed as a last resort. At Chapel Hill Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we strive to provide the most conservative treatment for your dental problems. We want to save as much of your natural tooth as possible. However, if conservative methods have failed or we don’t believe that they’re feasible for your situation, that’s when a tooth extraction may be recommended..
Reasons for Tooth Extraction
There are many reasons a tooth may need to be extracted. If the tooth in question is in a state of severe tooth decay or if a tooth has been extremely damaged from trauma, the tooth may need to be removed. Teeth are also extracted when they are overcrowded and causing problems with your day-to-day life.
Sometimes teeth are removed to help treat malocclusion. This condition occurs when your bite lines up abnormally. Many oral health problems may stem from malocclusion, particularly TMJ disorders. An even bite that meets where it’s supposed to help relieve the pressure on your teeth when they close together. This lessens the chance of broken or cracked teeth.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth typically emerge in your late teens or early twenties. It’s more likely than not to have your wisdom teeth removed. Very few people are able to keep their wisdom teeth throughout their lifetime without having any problems with them. Wisdom teeth can cause pain, overcrowding in the teeth, and can be more likely to suffer from tooth decay as they’re harder to reach.
Wisdom teeth can also get impacted in your jaw. This means that they are emerging at an odd angle and may be stuck mostly under the gums, causing discomfort as they make contact with your other teeth. Wisdom teeth are usually all removed at the same time through a surgical procedure for which you will be sedated.
The Extraction Process
Although Dr. Furgurson and his associate, Dr. White, do perform some extractions in their Chapel Hill office, they may refer more complicated cases to a local specialist to make sure you have the optimum experience. For a simple tooth extraction, you’ll first receive local anesthetic around the tooth that’s being removed. If you suffer from dental fear, we offer sedation dentistry options to make sure you’re calm and comfortable throughout the process.
When you’re numb, the ligaments that connect the tooth to your bone will be slowly severed. The tooth is gently rocked back and forth in the socket to remove the actual tooth. Once the tooth is out, the entire area will be cleaned and packed with gauze, which helps blood to clot to promote healing and also helps to keep out food particles. You’ll receive aftercare instructions to make sure your extraction heals well.
Tooth Extraction in Chapel Hill, NC
Have a tooth that may need to be removed? Call us at 919.205.9308 or schedule an appointment online to meet with Dr. Furgurson at Chapel Hill Family & Cosmetic Dentistry to discuss it..