A guide to extractions: Losing a tooth, gaining health, and a “second chance” for your smile!
Extractions or the removal of damaged teeth are taken very seriously here at Pratt Family Dental. As true partners in your oral health, our dentists, Drs. Carson Hopkins and Steven Kunz work with patients to maintain or preserve their teeth. However, there may be some situations where the teeth do more harm than good – such as complications caused by non-essential wisdom teeth or irreversible damage to the innermost tooth structure. In these and other cases, our patients in the Pratt, Kansas, area benefit from an array of in-house capabilities. We generally do not need to refer you or a family member to costly and unfamiliar specialists. Everything you need, including surgical extraction expertise, is available courtesy of your friends just down the road!
When extractions may be in your future
As with all services at our office, we cannot treat what we do not know. So, we first evaluate your teeth and surrounding tissues. We also use state-of-the-art diagnostics to “see” what cannot be detected with a visual inspection alone. Your diagnosis drives our next steps. In some cases, a painful and damaged tooth may be an appropriate candidate for root canal therapy. However, if a tooth fails to heal following root canal treatment, its removal may be advised. Infections do not “stay put.” They have the potential to spread to other parts of the face or body. Systemic infections are true medical emergencies. They can be avoided by promptly removing the source of the infection: the deeply damaged tooth.
Complications from wisdom teeth are also common reasons for dental extractions. While not all such third molars cause pain and other problems, many do because these “wisdom teeth” are the last teeth to develop in the mouth. By the time they erupt, there is frequently insufficient room for them. They may become trapped, partially or fully, in the jaw due to this lack of space and an inability to erupt or develop naturally and properly.
Types of extractions
Dentists’ skills and capabilities in removing or extracting teeth vary. At Pratt Family Dental, we have the onsite expertise and technologies to safely provide an array of extraction techniques. These include:
- A “simple” or nonsurgical extraction, whereby teeth that are generally accessible (not broken or impacted) are loosened and lifted from their sockets
- A surgical extraction, in which the tissue is opened, and the affected teeth are accessed through incisions
The latter technique is advised mainly for patients whose teeth are not intact. They may be partially broken or partly or fully impacted in the jaw. So, they may not be visible or easy to grasp without surgical techniques to open up, reach, and remove the troublesome tooth.
Your safety and health are our priority!
Of course, our friendly team at Pratt Family Dental will go over everything to expect before, during, and after treatment. These considerations include addressing any concerns you may have about staying relaxed and comfortable. Our “helpers” include calming dental sedation. Teeth are also fully and precisely numbed before treatments. That way, you won’t feel any sensations as our tools and team go to work. To ensure your extraction site heals on schedule and uneventfully, we will provide clear instructions on after-care. And, as needed, we will promptly replace essential teeth with bridges or implants.
Our office in Pratt, KS, welcomes any concerns or questions that you may have at (620) 318-1182. We look forward to speaking with you!
