While getting a tooth extracted is often a treatment of last resort, it can alleviate pain and prevent much bigger problems in your mouth. At Yonkers Dental Arts, serving residents of Yonkers, New York, and Westchester County, Alicia Schraner, DDS, offers safe tooth extractions and help with healing afterwards. If you need your wisdom teeth or other teeth extracted to keep your mouth spacious and healthy, call Yonkers Dental Arts or schedule an appointment online today.
A tooth extraction is a procedure whereby a problematic tooth is removed, or pulled, from your mouth. While it may seem counterintuitive to remove a tooth from your mouth when your goal is to preserve a full and healthy smile, a tooth extraction can alleviate pain and discomfort or make much-needed space in your mouth.
Dr. Schraner decides whether you need a tooth extraction after examining your mouth. At your appointment, she begins by injecting your mouth with a local anesthetic to keep it numb. In some cases, she uses a stronger anesthetic that makes you fall asleep or stay sedated during the procedure.
She then grabs your tooth with a tool called a forceps and wiggles it to loosen it from your jawbone. Some teeth need to be removed in pieces while others can be pulled as one piece.
Once your tooth is out, she packs a gauze pad into the empty space to stop the bleeding. Then, she puts a few stitches in place that dissolve within a few days.
There are many reasons why a tooth extraction is necessary for your comfort or health. Dr. Schraner may recommend a tooth extraction if:
Usually, Dr. Schraner treats an infected tooth in other ways before resorting to an extraction. If you’re having a tooth pulled for reasons other than overcrowding, she helps you explore options to replace it and restore your smile.
After a tooth extraction, you’ll need to take extra care of your mouth and follow Dr. Schraner’s instructions closely to prevent an infection and recover quickly. To care for your mouth, you must:
Healing after a tooth extraction usually takes up to two weeks. If you become sick or notice a discharge from the extraction area, call Dr. Schraner immediately as you may have an infection.
To find out if you need a tooth extraction, call Yonkers Dental Arts or schedule an appointment online today.