Extractions

If your mouth is too small for all of your teeth, have impacted wisdom teeth, or experience severely decaying teeth, tooth extractions can restore your smile. At Strauss Dental in Oregon City, Oregon, Julie Stauss, DMD, and her experienced family dentistry team use innovative technology and techniques for tooth extractions. They make your experience relaxing and pain-free. Schedule an appointment with Strauss Dental over the phone or online to find out if extractions are right for you.

What are tooth extractions?

Tooth extractions are simple dental procedures in which your dentist removes one or more teeth from your mouth. They may recommend extractions if you have teeth that are:

• Not fitting well in your mouth
• Baby teeth that won’t come out on their own
• Impacted wisdom teeth
• Severely decayed
• Infected
• Damaged

Your Strauss Dental provider might complete a root canal to save a severely damaged or infected tooth, but in other cases extraction might be required.

Am I a good candidate for extraction?

To determine if you’re a good candidate for tooth extraction, your dentist reviews your medical history and examines your mouth. They use dental X-rays to find out if extraction is the right procedure for you. If so, you can schedule another appointment for the procedure. 

How should I prepare for extraction?

Follow your dentist’s instructions before you arrive at your appointment. They may give you antibiotics to take prior to the procedure. If you require or prefer general anesthesia, avoid eating or drinking for six to eight hours before the procedure. Plan to have someone drive you home after extraction.

What should I expect during treatment?

Tooth extraction is either simple or surgical. If the tooth requiring extraction is visible, your dentist might complete simple extraction. They can use surgical extraction for impacted teeth beneath the gums.

Simple extraction

Prior to simple extraction, your provider numbs the treatment area so you feel pressure but no pain during the procedure. They use special dental instruments to loosen and remove your tooth.

Surgical extraction

During a surgical extraction, your dental provider may use local anesthesia and a sedative to make you feel relaxed, or general anesthesia to put you to sleep. Either way, you won’t feel pain during surgical extraction. 

Your dentist makes a tiny incision in your gums and removes the tooth. They place gauze over the treatment area to reduce bleeding.

What happens after extraction?

It might take a few days or weeks to heal from extraction. Apply ice to the area after your procedure to minimize swelling. Take medications as prescribed by your dentist and take it easy for a day or two. Avoid using a straw for 24 hours, don’t smoke, and avoid rinsing your mouth vigorously. Eat soft foods for a day or so after extraction.

Call Strauss Dental if you experience pus, drainage, severe pain, or fever as these symptoms are a sign of infection.

At the first sign of tooth pain or if you experience tooth crowding, schedule an appointment with Strauss Dental over the phone or online today.