Tooth Extractions – Tysons Corner, VA
Maintain the Health of Your Smile
Losing even one tooth can dramatically impact your oral health. That’s why our team at Tysons Corner Dentists only recommends that a tooth be removed when it is absolutely necessary to maintain the health of your smile. If we determine that tooth extractions in Tysons Corner are in your best interest, we can provide this treatment while making it as painless as possible. We even offer sedation options to ensure you feel relaxed and at ease in the dental chair. If you have a tooth that has been giving you trouble lately, contact us to schedule a consultation and find out if a tooth extraction is right for you.
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
Whenever possible, we will do our utmost to preserve healthy tooth structure with restorative treatments like dental crowns. If, however, the tooth is damaged beyond repair, an extraction is often the best option for your smile. Other reasons why tooth extractions are necessary include:
- A child has one or more primary (baby) teeth that won’t fall out on their own.
- When overcrowding is a concern, one or more teeth may have to be removed before beginning orthodontic treatment.
- Damaged or compromised teeth might have to be extracted before placing a denture or dental implant.
- Teeth become impacted, or stuck underneath the gums. This is common with the third molars, also known as wisdom teeth.
The Process of Removing a Tooth
There are two types of tooth extractions: simple and surgical. A simple tooth extraction is only possible when the tooth has fully emerged from the gums. After numbing your mouth, your dentist in Vienna uses a clasping tool to gently rock the tooth back and forth until it breaks free from the tissues that were keeping it in place.
When simply pulling the tooth isn’t possible, we’ll have to surgically extract it. In some cases, this may only involve making incisions in the soft tissue to reveal more of the tooth structure. In others, we might have to take more advanced surgical steps, such as drilling into the jawbone or breaking the tooth into several pieces and removing them one by one.
Rest assured that no matter which type of tooth extraction you’re undergoing, our top priority is making sure you feel comfortable and safe.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
We’ll provide you with specific guidelines on caring for your mouth as you heal from your tooth extraction. This includes outlining a plan for pain management using prescribed and/or over-the-counter pain medication. You can also hold a cold compress to your cheek – ten minutes on and then ten minutes off for up to an hour – to minimize pain and reduce swelling.
Additionally, we’ll advise you on how to maintain your oral hygiene during the recovery process. In most cases, you can brush and floss as normal while being extremely careful around the extraction site. We’ll also give you tips on soft foods you can eat for the first few days and how to gradually integrate heartier foods into your diet afterward.
While we strive to avoid post-op complications, sometimes they still occur. Please call us right away if you notice:
- Pain that intensifies rather than decreases after two or three days
- Sensitivity near the extraction site
- Heat, swelling, or redness near the surgical site
- Bleeding that continues past the first two days