If you have a tooth that has decayed or has loosened up due to injury, you might need to have it removed. The process of tooth removal is known as tooth extraction. At Prosthodontics of Princeton, our dentists, Dr. Isaacson, Dr. Reinhardt and Dr. Milone provide seamless tooth extraction treatment along with treatments that can help you replace your tooth, such as a dental implants and a dental bridge.
What Is a Tooth Extraction and When Is It Done?
Tooth extraction is a dental procedure involving the use of forceps to remove a tooth from its socket in the alveolar bone. At Prosthodontics of Princeton, we perform a tooth extraction when your tooth is decayed, damaged, or loose.
We also perform this procedure to counter overcrowding of teeth, remove a tooth that has not erupted via the gum, extract baby teeth that do not fall out on their own, and remove impacted wisdom teeth that cause gum swelling and pain.
What Happens In a Tooth Extraction Procedure?
Before the tooth extraction procedure, we take a detailed medical and dental history, take an x-ray to assess the best way to extract the tooth, and suggest you refrain from smoking as it might lead to dry socket.
On the day of the appointment, we will administer local anesthesia to numb the affected area and surrounding gum tissue. Then, we will use an elevator to expand the bony socket, loosen the tooth, and use a pair of forceps to pull out the tooth.
At times, we have to make a tiny incision on the gum to access a tooth that is large, non-erupted, impacted, or broken at the gum line. Then, we will use forceps to loosen the tooth and extract it.
Once the tooth is safely out, we will clean and disinfect the socket. Sometimes, we use a dental bone graft to avoid bone loss. Lastly, we will place dissolvable stitches to promote gum healing.
After completing the procedure, we will put gauze over the extraction site to slow down bleeding and allow a clot to form to promote healing and decrease the risk of dry socket.
We will ask you to bite down on the gauze to quicken the process. You will remove it once the bleeding has slowed down.
Ways to Replace a Tooth After a Tooth Extraction
Here are two ways to replace a missing tooth:
Dental Implants
A dental implant involves an anchor to place a dental crown.
We put a metal impact in the lower or upper jaw so that it fuses with the bone, which can take several months. Then we put a crown on top to replace your missing tooth.
Dental Bridge
In this tooth replacement process, we cement and bond a dental bridge in place.
First, we prepare the teeth on either side of the gap and cut them down to connect them with the bridge. Then we take an impression of your teeth and put a custom dental bridge in your mouth.
If you need to get a tooth extraction or require us to replace your missing tooth with a dental bridge or a dental implant, call us at (609) 924-1975.
