A Tooth Extraction Could Help Your Child’s Smile

Posted January 10, 2022

As we’ve discussed in our blog, we often try to preserve teeth that have become decayed or infected. But sometimes, issues grow so severe that the tooth could need to be removed to prevent complications. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about tooth extraction for kids.

When Kids May Need an Extraction

We may need to gently remove a child’s teeth for a number of different reasons. For example, if a baby tooth fails to fall out, this could impact how the permanent teeth erupt, so we could take them out. If there needs to be more room for orthodontic treatment, we could remove a tooth. Extractions also let your child avoid wisdom tooth impaction in the teen years, and could prevent the spread of infection from a severely decayed or infected tooth. We could also perform this procedure to improve the function and balance of the bite as well. 

Dental Sedation

We always want your kids to feel comfortable and relaxed when they visit us. If we need to perform an oral surgery procedure like an extraction, we will administer a local anesthetic and also discuss sedation options. Using nitrous oxide, oral sedation, or IV, we could help your kids enter a deep state of calm, in some cases with little to no memory of the procedure. With nitrous oxide, the effects wear off right away, they can even return to school! With oral or IV, kids may need time for the grogginess to wear off completely. The option we recommend will depend on your child’s age, weight, medical history, and level of dental anxiety. 

The Removal Process

Once your child is comfortable, we will gently remove the tooth with a pair or forceps. Having taken multiple images with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, we will plan this process to avoid any nerve tissues or sinus cavities. Once we remove the tooth, the healing process can begin. The entire procedure only takes about 30 minutes. We will prescribe medications to ensure your child’s comfort and assist with the healing process. For the first day, they should avoid activity and take it easy, only eating soft foods and avoiding straws. Make sure they don’t prod the area with the tongue. In a follow-up visit, we will monitor the smile and make sure everything is healing as it should!

If you have any questions about this or any of our other procedures, then contact our team today!

Do You Have Any Questions About Tooth Removal?

We want to help your child enjoy better oral health, even if that means gently removing a tooth. Set up an appointment with us by contacting your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.