Tooth Extractions – Wayland, MA

It goes without saying that losing a tooth is never the most desirable choice. At Wayland Dental, we’ll always recommend restorative treatments that can save a damaged or infected tooth first. However, sometimes the state of your oral health might make extraction the only choice for preventing further complications. Don’t worry, though; our team will always make sure that you’re safe and comfortable during the process. Give us a call if you have dental damage or discomfort that makes you think you might need a tooth extraction.

Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary

Some common scenarios where teeth need to be extracted include:

• Infection: Some dental infections are so severe that even a root canal isn’t enough to save the tooth. Eventually, the infection might spread and start attacking other parts of your mouth.
• Serious Damage: A broken or weakened tooth can usually be repaired with a crown or a filling. Unfortunately, sometimes the damage is so great that restoration isn’t an option. Any tooth that can’t be fixed will need to be removed instead.
• Overcrowding: If you’re planning on getting braces, there needs to be a sufficient amount of room in your mouth for the teeth to move. If they’re too crowded together, an extraction might be needed.
• Dentures: Sometimes you may have lost most of your teeth but still have a few in the arch. The remaining teeth have to be taken out of your mouth before you can get full dentures.

Remember that our team will only bring up tooth extraction if there’s no other choice. Don’t hesitate to ask us about your oral health and why extraction may be necessary.

The Process of Removing a Tooth

Our team will need to determine whether you need a simple extraction or a surgical one. Then we’ll explain what you can expect from the process.

• Simple Extraction: An instrument called an elevator will help loosen the tooth. Then we’ll gradually work the tooth free from its socket with forceps. Your mouth will be numbed for the duration of the procedure, and our team will be very gentle during every step.
• Surgical Extraction: The gums will be opened so that the tooth can be worked with. Depending on the circumstances, it might be necessary to take the tooth out in sections rather than all at once.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare

 During your recovery, you’ll need to follow our instructions for protecting your mouth and reducing your pain. Here are some basic aftercare steps:

• Make sure your head stays elevated at all times, including when you go to bed.
• Do not drink through a straw, spit, smoke, or do anything else that could lead to a dry socket (a painful condition that occurs when the blood clot at the surgical site is displaced).
• When planning your diet for the days following your extraction, avoid anything that’s hard or requires a lot of chewing. Everything you eat during your recovery should either be soft or liquid.