Simple Tooth Extractions
Fountain Valley, CA
Your teeth have many essential responsibilities. In addition to biting and chewing food, the teeth play an important role in your speech. They provide you with a beautiful smile and even play an integral role in the health of your jawbone. The teeth are incredibly strong, allowing them to do all of these functions easily. However, they can be damaged. In the event of tooth damage, the ideal solution is to restore them. In the event of severe damage, though, the teeth may be beyond repair. Attempting to repair a severely damaged tooth could compromise your oral, and overall, health. At Bijan Family Dental Practice, we can extract a damaged tooth with a simple tooth extraction and provide a replacement.
Effects of Damaged Teeth
When your teeth are damaged, it is crucial to seek treatment immediately. Even minor damage to the enamel of your teeth can worsen if it is not addressed. Larger damage can be much more detrimental. Not only can significant damage compromise the structural integrity of the affected teeth, it can also allow bacteria into the inner layers where they can cause a serious, painful infection.
How Do I Know if a Tooth Requires an Extraction?
Before determining the best course of action, we first perform a thorough oral exam as well as review your medical history. This exam involves a visual look at your teeth and gum as well as dental digital x-rays. With the x-rays, we can see root damage, issues with your jawbone, signs of infection, and more. While we do our very best to save damaged teeth, there are some instances in which this is just not possible. When teeth cannot be saved, they need to be extracted. Common reasons for a tooth extraction include:
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Teeth with cracks below the gumline. The crack can start in the crown and extend below the gums, or the crack might only affect the root. In some instances, the tooth may be split in half. Crowns cannot protect teeth with cracks below the gums.
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Teeth that have shattered.
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Decayed teeth. While fillings or crowns can often be used to treat cavities, severe decay may not be able to be treated. A filling could further compromise the tooth while the tooth may not have enough natural structure left to support a crown.
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Your mouth is overcrowded, and you need to have one or more teeth extracted to ensure effective orthodontic treatment. |
Simple Tooth Extractions
A simple tooth extraction is one type of extraction that may be performed to remove one or more teeth. This type of extraction, much like the name suggests, is used in simpler cases. It is done under a local anesthetic, which ensures that you will not feel any discomfort, only pressure.
Your extraction begins with a tool called an elevator. This tool is designed to help move the gum tissue and the periodontal ligaments away from the affected tooth, separating them a bit. Next, the tooth is gripped with forceps and moved gently, but firmly, back and forth in the socket. This movement helps to widen the periodontal ligament so that the tooth becomes loose. When the ligament is wide enough, your tooth can be easily pulled out.
Once your tooth has been removed, we place gauze over the empty socket to help stop bleeding. If necessary, a suture or two is placed. After your extraction, we will go over your options for replacement. Our most popular option is the single tooth replacement with implants.
While it is always preferable to save a damaged tooth, this is not always possible. In some cases, it is better to extract the tooth and then have it replaced. Call Bijan Family Dental Practice at (714) 421-4494 today to learn more.
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