Your permanent teeth are intended to last you a lifetime. However, specific factors can necessitate the removal of a permanent tooth. Usually, the tooth in question is too severely damaged due to tooth decay or trauma to be saved.

Other reasons that can necessitate extractions near you include:

• Crowding. Our dentists in Sumter, SC may recommend extraction as a pre-requisite step to orthodontic treatment. Eliminating some teeth makes room for teeth movement during the realignment process.
• Impacted Teeth. Impacted (wisdom) teeth can elevate your risk of cavities, infection, bite problems, and other challenges in the future.
• Risk of Infection. If you have a tooth that poses a risk of infection and you’re about to undergo complex treatment such as chemotherapy or organ transplant, our dentists may recommend getting rid of the tooth.
• Gum Disease. Severe infection of the gum tissues often leads to loose teeth, which can cause incredible pain when chewing. Extracting loose teeth is usually part of periodontal therapy.

Simple and Surgical Tooth Extractions

Teeth may be extracted either surgically or non-surgically. Non-surgical or simple extractions are the most common. These are straightforward procedures performed on visible and easily accessible teeth.

To perform a non-surgical extraction, our dentists near you administer anesthesia to numb the tooth. Next, the dentist loosens the tooth from its socket using a dental elevator. Finally, the dentist pulls out the tooth using a pair of forceps and places a gauze pad at the now-empty tooth socket to minimize blood loss.

Surgical extractions in Sumter, SC involve surgical components and are usually reserved for impacted (trapped) teeth. Teeth that are worn below the gum line can also be extracted surgically. To perform a surgical extraction, the dentist makes an incision in the gum tissue to access the tooth. Sometimes, the dentist will have to cut through bone tissue as well. If necessary, the dentist splits the tooth into different sections and then removes each section at a time.

Restorative Arts Dental offers sedation for both types of extractions.

What To Do After Dental Extraction

Recovery after dental extraction takes a couple of days. Remember to:

• Take your antibiotics and painkillers as prescribed.
• Use an icepack to minimize swelling.
• Bite on the gauze pad and change it frequently to stop bleeding.
• Avoid strenuous activity as this can trigger excessive bleeding.
• Avoid smoking.
• Avoid using straws for drinking as they can dislodge the clot and lead to heavy bleeding.
• Prop your head with a pillow when resting.
• Brush and floss your teeth while avoiding the extraction site.

Call Restorative Arts Dental today to enjoy safe and comfortable extractions in Sumter, SC.