No one likes to have a tooth removed, but sometimes a tooth extraction is necessary to save the health of the mouth. For instance, if a tooth is badly damaged and cannot be repaired, then it will need to be extracted.

Sometimes dentists have to pull teeth to prepare a patient for orthodontics (braces). If a person has too many teeth in their mouth, some of them will have to be removed before braces can help the remaining teeth go in a straighter direction.

If you have tooth decay that goes to the pulp (center of the tooth), then bacteria can enter the pulp, and cause an infection. Sometimes this can be fixed with a root canal, but if it is not, a tooth extraction may be needed to prevent the spread of the infection.

If you have a condition (immune compromised) that puts you at serious risk for getting an infection, then you may be given some antibiotics before and after a tooth extraction. Let our dentist know your complete medical history before you have an extraction.

If all this tooth extraction talk makes you a little nervous, don’t worry! Before pulling the tooth, our dentist will inject a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth. This will prevent you from feeling pain. That said, you may feel some pressure during a tooth extraction.

If a tooth is impacted (below the gumline), our dentist will numb the area and then cut away gum and bone tissue that cover the tooth in order to remove it. Sometimes, a hard-to-pull tooth has to be removed in pieces; but again, you should only feel some pressure, no pain.

After a tooth has been extracted, our dentist will pack a gauze pad into the empty socket where the tooth was. Biting down on the gauze will help stop any bleeding. Our dentist may also place a few stitches in the gum to help with the healing. The stitches are the dissolving kind, so you don’t need to worry about having them removed.

If you are experiencing pain, your tooth and/or gums might be infected. It’s very important that you see a dentist as soon as possible. Please call our office so that we can get you in quickly. An infection will not go away on its own, and the longer it lasts the more damage it can do. Don’t delay, act today.

Please visit Safe Dental Care in Oxnard, CA today for a consultation.