Why Does A Tooth Need To Be Extracted?
When a tooth becomes severely decayed or infected, this could be beyond treatment with a crown or pulpotomy. In these scenarios, we may need to actually remove the tooth to preserve your child’s smile. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about the reasons for a tooth extraction, and how we provide one comfortably.
When a Tooth Cannot Be Restored
We may recommend treatment for a case of tooth decay too advanced to be treated with one of our tooth-colored fillings, or for an infection too severe to be addressed with a pulpotomy. Removal then prevents the infection from reaching other parts of the smile. If baby teeth fail to fall out on time, this could lead to issues with the position of permanent teeth, causing misalignment. We could gently extract them to prevent this. Removal could also be used to address teeth that don’t develop properly, or to make room for orthodontic treatment.
The Extraction Process
We strive to save natural teeth when possible, but sometimes we have to remove one to protect overall oral health. To help your child feel relaxed and comfortable, we could offer dental sedation, which involves numbing the area around the tooth and helping them enter a relaxed state. Next, the tooth will be gently loosened and removed with a pair of forceps, The total treatment time is usually about a half hour in most cases, and the sedation could wear off right away in the cases of nitrous oxide, or require a little bit of time if we prescribe oral sedation or IV.
Protecting a Smile
Once a tooth is extracted, we will close the extraction site and provide detailed aftercare instructions. We want to ensure a clot can form and remain in place as part of the healing process, so for the first day or two your child may need to eat only soft foods and avoid activity. Good rest and a proper diet can help your child return to their normal routine quickly. We can then discuss future visits to monitor the smile and prevent other issues from arising that impact the health, function, and beauty of your child’s smile. If you have any questions about how we treat these concerns, or about the tooth extraction process in particular, then contact our team today to learn more.
Talk to Your Dallas, TX Dentist’s Office About Removing a Tooth
When necessary, we can use oral surgery to restore the health of your child’s smile. To schedule a visit for kids of all ages in our community, contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880. With extractions and other restorative procedures, we strive to protect the natural teeth and the smile as a whole, and to also help your kids better understand their own oral health, and make better decisions to safeguard their smiles.
filed under: Restorations for Kids