Could a Tooth Extraction Protect Your Smile?
March 24, 2021
Sometimes issues arise that cannot be addressed with a crown or restoration. These issues could soon reach other teeth, and lead to major discomfort and other complications. To address them and protect the stability of your smile, your Kansas City, MO, dentist may suggest a tooth extraction!
Preventing Wisdom Tooth Impaction and More
For many of us, the arrival of four wisdom teeth in our late teens and early 20s could mean serious problems for our smile. These teeth could cause the rest to shift, leading to misalignment and imbalanced bites, which itself could mean higher risks of cavies, gum disease, TMD, and bruxism. They could also only partially erupt, causing an impaction that is linked to discomfort and dental infection, and possibly damaged teeth. An extraction that removes these teeth before they erupt could prevent this from happening. We may also suggest removal for teeth severely damaged or infected, as taking them out prevents infection from reaching other teeth in the smile. For others, taking out a tooth could make room to reposition the others as part of their orthodontic treatment.
The Extraction Process
What should you expect from the process itself? Well, we will begin by administering a gentle numbing agent to the area around the tooth. Next, we could offer sedation to help you enter a calm and relaxed state, especially if you have high levels of dental anxiety. We then gently remove the tooth in question with forceps, and suture the extraction site closed. A friend or family member will bring you home, and we will prescribe medications to help facilitate the healing period. For the first day or two, you should consume soft foods only, avoid vigorous activity, and avoid using straws or poking the extraction site with your tongue. In a follow-up visit, we will remove the sutures and make sure the area is healing as it should!
What About the Gap in My Smile?
While wisdom teeth don’t need to be replaced, the gaps left by extracted infected or damaged teeth could lead to poor alignment, bite imbalance, and general embarrassment. To fill the gap, our team could create and place a custom-made dental prosthetic, such as a bridge or a dental implant, to restore your smile to optimal health, function, and beauty once again. If you have any questions about how we remove teeth and replace them, then contact our team today.
Do You Have Questions About Tooth Removal?
We want to help prevent complications for your smile by removing damaged or infected teeth. To learn more about how our team carefully and comfortably removes wisdom teeth, then schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.