Longview Tooth Extractions

At the Longview Dental Center, we focus our personalized treatment plans on helping patients maintain their healthy, natural smiles for life. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to retain damaged or decayed teeth, and in some cases, it’s not even the best option to help you maintain your healthy smile. When we need to recommend tooth removal, our Longview dentist and team can provide safe, comfortable extractions and tooth replacement treatments that allow patients to get the smiles back on their faces quickly. If you want to learn more about tooth extractions or any of our other treatment options, call the Longview Dental Center to schedule a consultation appointment with us today.

Common Reasons for Tooth Extraction

While we will do our utmost to retain your healthy tooth structures with restorative dentistry options like dental crowns, root canals, and other services, there are many situations where tooth extraction is the best treatment option, including:

• Severe decay or damage that destroys too much of the tooth to be repaired
• Impacted teeth that are unable to erupt from the gum line
• Primary (baby) teeth that do not fall out on their own
• Prior to orthodontic treatment for crowding
• Before the design and placement of a partial or full denture

Wisdom Tooth Removal

By far the most commonly extracted teeth are third molars, often called wisdom teeth. These teeth may be removed for a variety of reasons, including:

• Impaction – wisdom teeth are unable to erupt from the gum line or are erupting at an angle toward surrounding teeth, which can cause serious health issues
• Crowding – in many cases, there is not enough space in the jawline for the tooth to erupt, leading to shifting in the surrounding teeth and a need for realignment
• Decay – many patients experience decay in their impacted wisdom teeth because they are able to partially erupt, which exposes them to bacteria and decay-causing plaque

The Tooth Extraction Process

We will remove your tooth using one of two methods. If the tooth has fully erupted from the gum line, we may be able to pull it. This simply requires us to hold the tooth with a metal clasp and shift it back and forth until it can break free from the socket. If the tooth has not fully erupted or we’re unable to pull it, surgical extraction may be necessary. This can be as simple as cutting away supportive structures to allow the tooth to be more easily removed, or surgical extraction can mean a much more complex procedure. We’ll walk you through your specific treatment plan prior to the procedure to help you prepare.

What to Expect Following Tooth Extraction

After your tooth is extracted, you will likely experience slight bleeding, swelling, and discomfort for the first 48 hours following your procedure. Pain and swelling should diminish and be completely abated after about a week. If your discomfort increases or you experience sensitivity, you may need to contact us for retreatment. Don’t put off making the call to our office if you are in pain, notice signs of infection, or you experience sensitivity to heat and cold following your extraction.

Tooth Extraction FAQ’s

As previously mentioned, a tooth extraction in Longview is always one of the last options we’ll consider. That’s because each of your teeth plays an integral role in maintaining your oral health. Unfortunately, there are some situations where this can’t be avoided. If this is the case for you, then we understand that you may have some remaining concerns about having a tooth extracted, and you may have several questions that still need to be answered. Dr. Stoddard has compiled a list of the top five questions patients have about a tooth extraction, along with the expert answers, so you can be as informed as possible moving forward.

#1 – Is the Extraction Process Painful?

Thanks to the many advancements in modern dentistry, you don’t have to worry about any horror stories you may have heard about undergoing a tooth extraction. Before any work commences, Dr. Stoddard will apply local anesthesia to ensure the treatment area is numb before the procedure begins. Therefore, you can rest assured that you’ll have a painless experience.

#2 – What Can I Eat Afterwards?

To prevent an injury to the treatment site, we recommend that for the next 24-48 hours after the extraction, you maintain a soft-food diet. That can include items like smoothies (avoid sucking through a straw), apple sauce, yogurt, mashed potatoes and other foods that won’t cause any harm to the extraction area.

#3 – What Can I Take for Any Post-Extraction Pain?

After the anesthesia wears off, it’s not uncommon for there to be some slight discomfort following a tooth extraction. This is usually easily managed by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen. If, however, you have persistent pain that doesn’t seem to subside, then reach out to our office so you can schedule a follow-up visit with Dr. Stoddard.

#4 – Can I Brush My Teeth After the Extraction?

Because bacteria are always lurking in your mouth and seeking to cause havoc, it’s important to maintain some form of dental hygiene. During the first 48 hours after the extraction, though, you should carefully brush your teeth, being sure to avoid the treatment area.

#5 – Should the Extracted Tooth be Replaced?

In most cases, we don’t recommend replacing a wisdom tooth. However, it’s critical that any other tooth that may have been extracted be replaced. That’s because there is a greater chance, with prolonged tooth loss, for shifting, jawbone loss and gum infection. If tooth replacement is a route you decide to take, Dr. Stoddard can explain what your options are.

You don’t have to settle for suffering from prolonged tooth decay or a painfully impacted wisdom tooth. Instead, reach out to your dentist in Longview today to schedule a visit so your oral health can be restored.