Tooth Extractions and Bone Grafts
The goal of dentistry is to promote good oral health and comfort so you can lead a healthier life and eat the foods you love. We recommend dental extractions only as a last resort to protect your health, eliminate symptoms, or reduce pain, and it is never a recommendation that we make lightly.
Conditions That May Require a Tooth Extraction
If you have injuries involving your head and neck, it is crucial to seek immediate medical treatment. We can address your dental concerns once any life-threatening injuries have been ruled out.
Common conditions requiring dental extraction are:
- Overcrowding
- Wisdom teeth
- Non-restorable fractures
- Advanced periodontal disease
- Unsuccessful root canal therapy
- A tooth has broken off at the gumline
- Trauma due to an accident
In many cases, we can discuss tooth replacement options before your extraction and have a plan in place to restore your smile. In cases of overcrowding or wisdom tooth extractions, we will not need to replace missing teeth.
Personalized Dental Treatment Options
Our dentists will explain all your options and help you make a confident decision regarding your oral health.
We understand that many of our patients have concerns about dental extractions. Will it hurt? What will happen to my oral health? How will it affect the appearance of my smile?
We'll take the time to address these concerns and answer all your questions.
Your Dental Extraction Procedure
We make patient comfort a top priority. Our dentist will always use appropriate levels of anesthetic and wait for it to take effect before beginning. Our team communicates well and will be here to answer your questions. Together, we will design a solution that addresses each of your concerns.
We strive to provide efficient, effective, and successful dental extractions so that you can quickly get on the road to recovery.
Surgical extractions involve teeth that have not fully erupted from the gums. This often occurs when there is not enough space for the tooth or it is growing in at an angle. This condition, known as impaction, often causes pain and jaw discomfort. Removing your tooth can dramatically improve your comfort and protect your remaining teeth.
Simple extractions involve teeth that have erupted fully from the gums. In the case of simple extractions, we can see the tooth's crown before we begin. They usually do not require stitches during the healing process.
Properly caring for your surgical site is essential:
- Gently clean the area.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes or drinking through a straw.
- Avoid chewing on the area during the healing process.
- Follow aftercare instructions provided by your dentist.
Why Do I Need Bone Grafting?
For certain procedures to be successful, a certain amount of bone must exist in the jaw to completely surround the dental implant. The bone gives the implant stability and strength to support the forces of chewing.
In certain situations, either due to genetics or to the gradual bone resorption that occurs when a tooth is missing, you may not have sufficient bone where your natural tooth used to be, and we would not be able to place a dental implant. However, our oral surgeons can add bone to the area in a procedure called bone grafting. After the bone graft heals, we will be able to place your dental implant.
What Is the Bone Grafting Process?
When you meet with our oral surgery specialist about dental implant treatment, we will use imaging diagnostics to determine how much bone you have in your jaw. If you lack enough bone to support a dental implant, we will discuss a bone grafting treatment plan with you.
In the bone grafting procedure, your oral surgery specialist will add special bone grafting material to your jawbone. If the amount of bone needed is minor, we may be able to place the dental implant in the same procedure. If not, you’ll return to our oral surgery office in a few months after the area has had time to heal.
The timing of placing the dental implant after bone grafting is important to avoid bone resorption, and your oral surgeon will schedule your dental implant procedure with that in mind.
Contact us to schedule an evaluation to get answers regarding your oral health and smile. We look forward to welcoming you to our dental practice.
