When extraction makes sense
- A tooth too broken or decayed to repair
- Advanced gum disease that has loosened a tooth
- Wisdom teeth that are causing pain, infection or crowding
- Baby teeth that won't come out on their own
- Crowding before orthodontic treatment
Wisdom teeth
Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out. We'll take an X-ray and remove the ones causing problems or likely to. Surgical extractions, including impacted wisdom teeth, are done here in our office: Dr. Usha Kolli, a dentist who focuses on surgical dentistry, and Dr. David Roberts, who has extracted more than 150,000 teeth, both see patients at Waterview on scheduled days. In the rare case that an oral surgeon is the better choice, we'll refer you to one we trust.
After your extraction
Good aftercare helps you heal quickly and avoid a painful dry socket:
- Bite on gauze for 30 to 45 minutes to control bleeding
- For the first 24 hours, don't rinse hard, spit, smoke, or drink through a straw
- Use a cold compress on your cheek for swelling
- Eat soft foods and chew on the other side for a few days
- After 24 hours, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals
- Call us if pain gets worse after day three, or bleeding won't stop
Replacing the tooth
If the tooth that's coming out is one you'd want replaced, we'll talk about implants, bridges or partials before the extraction, sometimes placing a bone graft at the same visit so an implant is possible later.