When Extraction Benefits A Child’s Smile

Posted January 11, 2021

While fillings, crowns, and root canal treatment help repair damaged or decayed teeth, sometimes protecting a little smile means removing a tooth. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist will explain when an extraction could benefit the health, stability, and function of your child’s smile, and what to expect from the treatment process!

When Do Children Need Teeth Removed?

We may suggest the procedure should a cavity grow so severe the tooth becomes infected and is beyond repair with a filling or a pulpotomy. At this stage, an extraction prevents the spread of infection to other teeth in the smile. Our team also prescribes removal should a tooth become severely damaged, or if the roots of a baby tooth haven’t discovered and won’t fall out on schedule. For our older patients approaching adulthood, we could also recommend the procedure to take out wisdom teeth before they erupt and have major consequences for the health and stability of the smile. We want to help protect both the health and beauty of their smiles!

Sedation Dentistry

Our team always takes steps to ensure our young patients feel calm and comfortable throughout the procedure. For example, we will gladly answer any questions or concerns, and we offer both local anesthesia and sedation to help prevent discomfort and ease children with anxiety. We can also assist children with medical issues or developmental issues that makes undergoing even routine procedures difficult.

Removal and Aftercare

Once we administer a numbing agent and sedation, we will gently remove the tooth in question with forceps, and then suture the area carefully to ensure proper clotting and healing. When your child returns home, we will have medication prescribed and detailed instructions to ensure a complication-free healing process. In a follow-up visit, we will monitor the smile and remove the sutures. If you have any questions about our extraction process, or about any details about the procedure, then contact our team today. Remember, routine checkup and cleaning visits every six months means we can keep a close eye on your child’s smile, often addressing issues that could require tooth removal in the early stages and preserving the smile. We want to help your children enjoy a healthy smile throughout the year, and throughout their childhood.

Do You Have Questions About Tooth Extraction?

We want to help restore your little one’s smile to a healthier state with restorative care, from fillings and crowns and even advanced procedures such as a pulpotomy or a dental extraction. To learn more about our approach to children’s dentistry and the importance of routine care,  by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.