Even when you do everything possible to save a tooth, surgical extractions are sometimes required to protect the integrity of your smile. At Smile with Care Dental of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado, Jeremy Glick, DDS, and his team of expert dental specialists remove damaged, decayed, or bothersome teeth, including wisdom teeth. To see if you need a surgical extraction, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
If you have a tooth that’s emerged past the gumline but needs to be removed, your provider uses dental tools to loosen it and gently pull it from your mouth. If you have a tooth that has broken off at the gums or has not yet emerged, a surgical extraction is required.
Your provider places you under a local anesthetic and sometimes light sedation during a surgical extraction. They make an incision in your gumline to access the impacted tooth. Sometimes the tooth must be broken into smaller pieces for easier removal.
Your provider does their best to preserve your teeth, but sometimes a tooth is too damaged or decayed to be saved. Surgical extractions can also help preserve the integrity of your smile if you’re at risk of overcrowding.
Some reasons you might undergo a surgical extraction include:
The providers at Smile with Care Dental of Colorado have extensive experience in surgical extractions and make every effort to make the procedure and recovery as easy as possible.
Surgical extractions are an outpatient procedure; you go home right afterward to recover. Your dentist places sutures to close the gum tissue at the incision site. To stop any bleeding, they pack your mouth with gauze that you change every hour or two for the first few hours after the extraction.
Once the blood clots form, you can remove the gauze. Take care not to do any high-impact activity or drink from a straw for several days, as this can dislodge the clots. You may brush your teeth, but avoid the site of extraction. A soft food diet for several days may be most comfortable for chewing and healing.
Take all prescribed medications, including antibiotics to prevent infection. The team at Smile with Care Dental of Colorado may schedule a follow-up appointment to check your healing and proceed with any additional dental work.
Call Smile with Care Dental of Colorado or schedule an appointment online today for surgical extractions.