When Does A Child Need A Tooth Removed?
When a tooth develops a serious infection, or a major injury, then leaving it in place could threaten the rest of your child’s smile. Which is why our team may recommend a tooth extraction to protect the smile. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about when a tooth in a child’s smile needs to be extracted.
The Reasons We Prescribe an Extraction
When a tooth is severely decayed or develops an infection that remains untreated, this could reach a stage in which treatment with a restoration isn’t possible. At this point, lack of removal could mean infection reaches other parts of the smile. We could also extract a tooth to improve bite function and chewing capabilities, and to make room for orthodontic treatment. We could also extract teeth too damaged to be repaired with a crown. As kids approach adulthood, we could remove their wisdom teeth before they erupt and threaten the stability, beauty, and function of the smile. Essentially, if an issue could threaten the rest of the smile and placing a crown can’t address the issue, then removing it could preserve your child’s smile.
Keeping Little Smiles Comfortable
We always take steps to ensure our little patients are comfortable and relaxed when they visit us. After all, we want to make sure they know that they shouldn’t fear the dentist, and that they understand the importance of seeing the dentist every few months for checkups and cleanings, or for necessary treatments. In addition to a local anesthetic near the extraction site, our team could also offer multiple forms of dental sedation to keep kids calm and relaxed. The option we choose will depend on your child’s age, weight, and anxiety levels.
Removal and Aftercare
Once your child is properly relaxed and comfortable, we will gently extract the tooth with a pair of forceps. Using digital images taken beforehand, we can ensure we avoid nerve tissues and sinus cavities near the area. Once we remove the tooth, we will suture the area closed and provide detailed aftercare instructions and prescriptions for any necessary medications. In a follow up, we can remove sutures as needed. For most kids, they will need to rest for a day before returning to normal activities. If you have any questions about the process of extracting a tooth, then contract our team today to learn more. We want to help kids enjoy their best possible smiles!
Your Dallas, TX, Pediatric Dentist Provides Tooth Extraction
If you want to find out more about our approach to tooth extraction, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for our other treatment options, we invite you to contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Children's Dental Services