If a tooth is beyond repair due to damage, decay, or infection, our Grand Forks dental team can provide tooth extractions to relieve discomfort and restore oral health.
Restoring Your Oral Health
The idea of extractions may be daunting for some patients, our dentists, and the team at Border Country Dental will utilize treatments for our Grand Forks patients to prevent the removal of natural tooth structure where possible.
Nevertheless, some situations can occur, causing problematic teeth to lead to infection, damage, or pain if not extracted. The removal of one or more teeth can help relieve pain and restore good oral health.
Our team is committed to your comfort and relaxation during any extraction necessary for restoring your oral health.
Tooth Extractions
A tooth extraction removes the tooth from its socket in the bone. Extractions usually occur when a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, leaving no possibility of repair by a filling or crown. Other reasons may include extra teeth growing in that are blocking others or baby teeth that are yet to fall out for the permanent teeth to erupt.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Commonly, people between the ages of 17 and 25 will grow wisdom teeth, sometimes earlier in life. For some people, wisdom teeth are not fully functional or may cause serious crowding, resulting in further oral health issues. In these instances, your dentist may recommend having your wisdom teeth extracted to preserve your oral health and regain some normality.
Tooth Extraction FAQs
Read our frequently asked questions about tooth extractions and wisdom tooth removal at our Grand Forks dental clinic.
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What causes the need for tooth extraction?
There are a number of reasons why a tooth may need to be extracted.
Often, it is recommended when a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay and there is too much damage for the tooth to be repaired by a filling or crown.
However, there are other reasons for tooth extraction, including extra teeth growing in that are blocking others, baby teeth that haven’t fallen out in time for the permanent teeth to come in, braces, or wisdom teeth that are commonly removed for medical reasons.
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When and why are wisdom teeth removed?
Wisdom teeth usually emerge in the late teens or early twenties and are the last teeth to develop. Unfortunately, many people do not have enough room for these teeth to erupt properly.
When wisdom teeth become impacted, grow at an angle, or threaten the alignment of other teeth, extraction is often recommended. In fact, most adults will have their wisdom teeth removed at some point. -
What does recovery from a tooth extraction entail?
Tooth extraction is typically a very fast process—we will use anesthesia to ensure you’re comfortable.
The most critical part of the process is recovery.
We need to ensure we control the bleeding and encourage a proper healing process immediately following the tooth extraction.
This involves having you bite down on a gauze pad for 30 to 45 minutes to form a blood clot—you must be extremely careful not to disturb the blood clot for the next 24 hours.
To manage the swelling, we recommend an ice pack on the outer check, and once the swelling has gone down, a warm compress to the same area for comfort.
Gentle rinses with warm salt water also help keep the extraction area clean.
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How do I prevent dry socket after tooth extraction?
When you have a tooth extracted, you develop a blood clot shortly after the surgery to begin the healing process. If this blood clot becomes dislodged before your mouth has fully healed it can cause pain, this is called dry socket.
Six tips for avoiding dry socket are:
- Avoid using drinking straws or anything that creates a suction movement of air and cheek muscles.
- Avoid smoking tobacco as fast inhalation can dislodge your blood clot and the chemicals may prevent healing or cause an infection.
- Eat soft foods only during your healing process. Some suggestions include applesauce, yogurt, and mashed potatoes for the first one or two days.
- Inquire about any medicines you’re taking to ensure they don’t interact with the healing process.
- Maintain proper oral hygiene to keep your mouth clean and consider an antibacterial mouthwash
- Follow your doctor’s instructions on proper oral care to improve recovery time.