Dr. Glen Wainwright is a dentist in Austin, Texas that helps his patients achieve a healthier smile. As a full-service dental office, Austin Dental Care offers tooth extractions for patients of all ages. Dr. Wainwright and his experienced team of dentists utilize digital technology and modern techniques to plan all extractions. Tooth extractions are general dental treatments that ultimately improve the health of teeth and gums.
Reasons for Tooth Extractions
There are many different reasons for a patient requiring tooth extraction. Some of the most common reasons are extreme tooth damage or infection, as well as wisdom teeth. When a tooth has a lot of damage or infection, it can impact the health of the teeth surrounding it. While we try to save natural tooth structure whenever possible, sometimes we can’t avoid it. We want to do what’s best for your overall oral health.
Wisdom teeth are the third molars, and usually develop during your late teens or early twenties. Sometimes they cause more harm than good. They can become impacted or develop incorrectly, compromising your bite and your other teeth. You can experience pain or swelling due to wisdom teeth, and they can cause your mouth to become overcrowded. We’ll monitor your wisdom teeth as they develop to determine whether extraction will be the best choice for you.
There are instances where you may develop extra teeth or your jaw is too small, causing overcrowding. In these cases, we may also recommend removal. For example, when a patient needs to get braces, the orthodontist may need to remove some teeth to make sure the treatment goes smoothly.
As teeth are developing in children and preteens, baby teeth can prevent the adult teeth from developing correctly. Sometimes primary teeth don’t fall out early enough, leaving the permanent teeth with no place to go. We’ll need to extract these baby teeth to make sure that the permanent smile develops the way that it should.
If you have tooth damage or infection, call Austin Dental Care at 512-518-6392.
Types of Tooth Extractions
Simple extractions: During a simple tooth extraction, a dentist can loosen and remove a tooth that is visible from the gum line. With simple tooth extraction, we typically remove the tooth in one piece using dental tools and local anesthesia.
Surgical extractions: Your oral surgeon preforms a surgical extraction when a tooth is not completely visible from the gum line. In this case, surgical removal is necessary. The oral surgeon makes a small incision in the gums, and removes the tooth in fragments. In some rare cases, he will trim the bone surrounding the tooth to access it.
Tooth Extraction FAQs
Is wisdom teeth removal always necessary?
In most cases, it is necessary to remove your wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth can create a host of dental problems down the road if you do not remove them. Even if your wisdom teeth are not causing you issues, they can contribute to crooked teeth, unexplained tooth pain, jaw issues, and more.
Is it better to remove or repair a damaged tooth?
Any dentist will tell you to repair your damaged tooth before extracting it. Only in certain and severe cases will your dentist recommend tooth removal. This is because the best thing for your body is to keep as many natural teeth as possible. Natural teeth are the best line of defense your mouth has against disease, bacteria, and function.
Can I go to work after tooth extraction?
Your dentist does not recommend going back to work the same day you had a tooth extracted. You need to save some time to let the tooth socket heal. During this time do not eat hard foods, stay away from smoking, using straws, and chewing sticky foods. Give yourself two to three days for your socket to heal before returning to work.
How long should I rest after tooth extraction?
After a tooth extraction we recommend that patients take at least 24-72 hours off or work to rest. The most important thing patients can do to help their recovery process after a tooth extraction is to rest.
How can I make my tooth extraction heal faster?
The top ways to make your tooth extraction heal faster are to get on a sleep schedule and get as much rest as possible. Patients should stick to a soft food diet for the first couple of days following their extraction so that they do not interrupt any clots forming. Patients should also try to avoid drinking through a straw and smoking as this may lead to dry socket.
How long do teeth hurt after tooth extraction?
After a tooth extraction patients teeth and gums may become swollen and painful. This is normal and is part of the healing process. The worst pain is typically in the first few days following the extraction. As time progresses pain will get less and patients will slowly start to feel normal again.
Schedule a Dental Exam with our Dentist in Austin, TX
Are you looking for tooth extraction treatment in Austin, Texas? Call Austin Dental Care today at 512-518-6392 or schedule an appointment with Dr. Wainwright online. Dr. Wainwright provides high-quality dental care in West Austin, Lost Creek, West Lake Hills, Barton Creek, and all of Travis County, Texas.