Teeth Extractions
Services
Sometimes teeth become either too damaged or too decayed, to the point that they are beyond rescue. In these situations, patients are typically referred to an oral surgeon where the tooth can be extracted and ultimately replaced.
Top Tier Treatments
Our board certified doctor, Ken Baldwin, DDS and his team are proud to offer the following services available under an OMS license.
- Wisdom Teeth
- Anesthesia and Sedation
- Tooth Extraction
- Dental Implants
- Grafting
- Orthognathic Surgery
When Do I Need a Tooth Extraction?
Nobody ever sets out to have their teeth extracted, but in cases where teeth are simply too far gone, extraction may be the only option. Tooth extraction may be recommended to patients if there is severe tooth decay, a tooth is too loose, impacted teeth, or broken teeth. Tooth extraction is recommended in order to preserve surrounding teeth and, in some cases, prevent periodontal diseases from occurring or worsening.
Is Tooth Extraction a Safe Procedure?
A tooth extraction is simply the clinical removal of one or more teeth. It is usually the last resort for teeth that cannot be salvaged. Tooth extraction can vary based on the severity of the case. A tooth that is still submerged or broken into multiple pieces may end up becoming a fairly complex removal process. Regardless of the situation, licensed Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are capable of safely removing affected teeth. General anesthesia may be necessary.
What to Expect
Consultation Appointment
Patients will request an appointment and can expect to hear back from our staff in a timely manner. For the first appointment, our staff will go over your medical history and look at the area needing to be treated. During the appointment, patients will go over treatment options. Our doctor will determine during this time whether tooth extraction is the best option. If not, Dr. Baldwin may go over alternative treatments that we offer at our practice. Following this visit, a surgery date will be scheduled by our front office staff.
Surgical Procedure
Once the date is in the books, patients will arrive for the treatment. We recommend having somebody drop off and pick up the patient due to anesthesia or any other sedation that may be administered. Patients and their families can expect the procedure to take around 1 to 2 hours total. This includes time for anesthesia as well as dressing the patient for a sterile surgical environment. Tooth extraction surgery varies from patient to patient. Some procedures may be complex due to the severity of the needs.
Recovery
Patients can expect the healing process to take 2 to 4 months. After the implants are placed, you may experience some bruising, swelling, minor bleeding, and pain. You may be advised to eat soft foods, cold foods, and warm soup while you're healing. To help with any pain, your dentist will probably suggest over-the-counter medications, including Advil (ibuprofen). Dental implants typically require the same dental hygiene as your regular teeth. To keep them healthy, brush your teeth twice a day, floss, and see your dentist for regular follow-up appointments.
Benefits of a tooth extraction
While tooth extraction may feel like a last resort, there are still ways to benefit from the removal process. Patients who receive tooth extraction at Utah Orthofacial Surgery have reported these benefits to us following their procedure.
01
Preserve Surrounding Teeth
Your surrounding teeth can be impacted by a tooth that needs to be removed. Removal of a tooth is a preventive measure designed to keep surrounding teeth protected.
02
Keeping Your Bite Intact
A tooth that needs to be removed may end up misaligning other teeth surrounding it. A misaligned bite can lead to a myriad of other problems. Tooth extraction prevents worse issues later.
03
Prevent Periodontal Diseases
Periodontal diseases can lead to significantly worse problems. A dentist may recommend extraction if a patient is at risk for periodontal diseases because of the affected tooth.
04
Removing Infection
An infection in the tooth could rapidly spread making it harder to treat. When this happens, the problem becomes more complicated and will require more dental procedures.
05
Less Pain
If left untreated, the more pain it inflicts on the patient. If the severity of the dental problem is relatively high, removing the tooth is the only way to lift the discomfort.
06
New Options
A successfully extracted tooth means there is now the option of other procedures such as our dental implants.
Looking for Help?
We know that you have questions and are ready to answer them! Our experienced team believes in transparency and will always talk through your options.