Many patients have anxiety or fear surrounding tooth removal. They fear pain during and after their treatment. At Flower Mound Family Dentistry, we want patients of all ages to feel comfortable if they need a tooth removed. We aim to provide comfortable tooth extraction treatment in Flower Mound, TX.
Tooth extractions remove teeth that cause pain, infection, and inflammation. Removing problem teeth can improve your oral health and prevent future dental problems.
Reasons Why You Need Tooth Removal
A tooth extraction is a standard dental procedure. There are many reasons why you may need one or more teeth removed:
- Infection: Sometimes, we cannot save teeth from gum disease or tooth decay. When a root canal, filling, or gum disease treatment cannot save your tooth, we will recommend extraction.
- Overcrowding: We may need to remove a tooth if you have severe overcrowding. Removing one or two teeth can make it easier to straighten overcrowded teeth with braces.
- Impacted Teeth: An impacted tooth is a tooth that does not have enough room to grow. These teeth can damage adjacent teeth. Bacteria can also collect between impacted teeth.
- Loose Baby Tooth: If your child has a loose baby tooth that will not fall out, we can perform a quick baby tooth extraction.
Tooth Extraction in Flower Mound, TX
Dental extractions are categorized as simple or complex. We will remove a tooth above the gum line during a simple extraction. Before we do this, we will numb your mouth. Then, we will gently wiggle the tooth until it’s free. This simple treatment will only take minutes.
We will remove a tooth at or below the gum line if you need a complex dental extraction. Our office may recommend sedation because this extraction will take longer than a simple tooth removal. When we perform a complex extraction, it may take several hours. Under sedation, you will not feel any pain.
Once you fully heal from treatment, you may need to replace your extracted teeth. In some cases, we may recommend replacing extracted teeth with dental implants. However, you will not need a restoration if you have impacted or overcrowded teeth.
Post-Op Instructions
After extraction treatment, we will place gauze over the extraction sites. Gauze will help your blood clot and protect the nerves beneath the gums. We will send you home with more gauze so you can replace it as needed.
Your mouth may still feel numb several hours after your procedure. Wait until the numbness wears off before eating; you could accidentally bite your cheek, lips, or tongue. Our office also recommends using a cold compress on your cheek. Swelling is a common reaction following tooth extraction treatment.
Eating soft foods, taking pain medication, and sleeping with your head elevated can promote faster healing. Please get in touch with our office if you have any questions or concerns as you heal.
Why Should You Remove Wisdom Teeth?
The wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to grow. They typically begin to grow when you reach your late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth grow behind the molars. Because of their position in the mouth, wisdom teeth are prone to impaction.
Most patients need their wisdom teeth removed because they are impacted. If there is not enough room for the wisdom teeth to grow, they can create many problems, including:
- Overcrowding
- Damaged teeth
- Chronic tooth pain
- Increased risk of decay
A wisdom tooth extraction can prevent these issues. Schedule an appointment as soon as you feel your wisdom teeth grow behind your molars. We will take X-rays and help schedule your wisdom tooth removal.
Tooth Extraction FAQs
Learn more about tooth extraction treatment in Flower Mound, TX, with answers to these questions:
Are tooth extractions painful?
You will not feel any pain during your tooth extraction treatment. We will numb your mouth or use sedation to make you feel comfortable. Some discomfort is normal after dental surgery, including dental extraction. We will recommend a cold compress and pain medication as you heal.
How do I clean my mouth after a tooth extraction?
Directly after a tooth extraction, you want to avoid brushing or flossing the area. Brushing or flossing can dislodge protective blood clots that form over your socket. Instead, we recommend a salt water rinse.
Avoid rinsing your mouth 24 hours after treatment. Then, use warm salt water to remove debris from your mouth. The salt will help fight harmful bacteria. Once the bleeding stops after treatment, you can use a pipette to remove food debris from the tooth sockets.
What is dry socket?
Dry socket is a painful condition that can occur after an extraction. After we remove a tooth, a blood clot forms over the socket, acting as a protective covering. If the blood clot is dislodged or doesn’t form, it exposes the tooth’s nerves, creating tooth pain.
Avoiding straws, spitting, or rinsing directly after treatment can prevent dry socket. If you develop dry socket, take pain medication and be gentle with the extraction site. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling.
What foods should I eat after a tooth extraction?
Soft, easy-to-eat foods are best after a dental extraction. Liquid or soft foods we recommend you eat after your procedure include:
- Mashed potatoes
- Pasta
- Soup
- Yogurt
- Smoothies
Avoid acidic, spicy, crunchy, or hard foods directly after treatment. These foods can increase bleeding and irritation.
When can I drink water after a tooth extraction?
You can drink water once blood clots form over your extraction sites or when you stop bleeding. However, do not drink using a straw. The sucking motion can dislodge your blood clots.
How long does it take to heal from a tooth extraction?
You can heal from a simple tooth extraction after one week. It takes two to three weeks to recover from a complex extraction. Your gums will grow over the extraction site over that time. It may take longer to heal if you have an impacted tooth. You should begin to feel less sensitivity and discomfort several days after your procedure.
Schedule an Appointment
Do you have a problem tooth but are anxious about tooth extraction treatment? We’re here to provide comfortable tooth extractions to improve your dental health. Contact Flower Mound Family Dentistry today at 972-848-8745. You can also schedule your next dental visit with us online.