Tooth Extractions

What is tooth extraction?

Tooth extraction can be a simple oral surgery where your surgeon removes one or more teeth from your jawbone. Typically, removing your teeth isn’t the first option for treatment, but may be the best treatment when your teeth are non-repairable, or they harm your oral health.  

While it’s always best to retain your natural teeth whenever possible, tooth extraction may benefit your health by:

• Removing infection
• Alleviating pain
• Removing the source of infection
• Correcting misalignment
• Improving your appearance
• Preparing for restorative procedures 

In some cases, removing a single tooth can lead to complications such as misalignment, difficulty chewing and speaking, changes in appearance, and injury to your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). To avoid these complications, your provider at Ueno Center Dental Specialists also discusses plans for future tooth replacement or further treatment, when necessary. 

Why do I need a tooth extraction?

Your provider at Ueno Center Dental Specialists may recommend tooth extraction if you have: 

• Dental pain or severe toothache
• Advanced periodontal disease
• Loose or decayed teeth
• Abscessed or severely infected teeth
• Extra teeth causing misalignment 
• Baby teeth that haven’t fallen out naturally
• Dead, broken, or malformed teeth
• Impacted wisdom teeth
• TMJ dysfunction 

You may need one or more tooth extractions in preparation for orthodontic work such as braces, Teeth-in-a-Day®, dentures, or dental implants. 

What happens during a tooth extraction? 

On the day of your extraction, you should bring an adult driver with you who can help you get home safely if you are being sedated. If you are not being sedated, you can drive yourself to and from the office. When you arrive, your surgery team makes you comfortable and prepares you for surgery. 

Your surgeon injects a local anesthetic to numb your gums and teeth in the area of your extraction and provides other optional forms of sedation. Once you are numb and comfortable, they: 

• Loosen ligaments and other tissues from the base of the tooth
• Remove the tooth (you may feel some pressure) 
• Pack the open area of gums with gauze 

When your tooth is large, oddly shaped, or has deep roots, the surgeon may need to section the tooth. This process entails cutting the tooth into smaller, easier-to-remove sections.

After your procedure, the team offers at-home instructions that ensure your recovery is as comfortable and free of complications as possible. 

In many cases, your surgeon will place a bone graft into the extraction socket to ensure adequate bone for future implant placement.  If a bone graft is not placed, you can expect to have up to 50% resorption by volume of your jawbone in the missing tooth site!

For expert tooth extraction, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.