Extractions

Extractions in North Highlands,CA At the offices of Watt Antelope Family Dentist in North Highlands, CA, our goal is to help you keep and enjoy the use of your natural teeth for as long as possible. We offer several preventive dentistry services and restorative services. For any dentist, removing a tooth is the last resort, and we will do all we can to save it first. After all, while tooth restorations can restore the appearance and function of a tooth, there isn’t any solution that can compare equally to your natural tooth. In some cases, however, extraction is the best option available to preserve your oral health overall.

Why are extractions needed?

There are several reasons why an extraction would be recommended. For many patients, it would be needed because an infection or severe decay in the affected tooth threatens the health of the surrounding teeth and gums. It may also be recommended because of overcrowding, which prevents the permanent teeth from erupting properly or which must be corrected as part of orthodontic treatment. Impacted teeth, especially wisdom teeth, are often removed to preserve the health of the mouth.

Is the procedure painful?

An extraction procedure is often dreaded because patients have an idea that it involves a lot of pain. However, sedation is used to make it as comfortable as possible. Depending on how many teeth are being removed and how deeply rooted they are, either a local, general, or intravenous anesthesia (or some combination of these) will be administered.

What is the procedure?

There are two types of extraction – a simple extraction and surgical. When a tooth is visible above the gumline and can be reached fairly easily, a simple extraction can be used. The tooth will be loosened with forceps and lifted from the gums. For impacted teeth and those that have not fully erupted, your dentist will need to make an incision into the gums to surgically remove the tooth.

Recovery

It will take several days to recover from the procedure, and you will need to treat the area with care to allow it to heal properly. You will receive instructions from Dr. Toral Pandya on how to best treat the area to stay comfortable and fully heal from your extraction in North Highlands, CA.