Oral Surgery (Extractions / Wisdom Teeth)

We provide many oral surgery procedures to help achieve dental goals. It involves a full diagnosis and surgical treatments for injuries or imperfections in the oral and maxillofacial area.  Tooth extractions are the most common oral surgeries performed in our office, which also include wisdom teeth extractions. Extractions can be performed for several reasons, including severe tooth decay or infection, tooth damage due to breakage, severe gum disease, impacted wisdom teeth, and removal of teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.

Procedure on Removing a Tooth:
A local anesthetic is applied to the area, making the procedure more comfortable. In some cases, nitrous oxide gas may be used in addition to the anesthetic. Dental instruments are used help release the tooth. After the tooth is loosened, it is removed.

Possible Complications with Extractions:
Like most procedures, tooth extractions may present complications. Risks include infection, tenderness, prolonged bleeding, dry socket and loosening of neighboring teeth or their fillings or crowns. Complications will be discussed prior to the procedure.  We want our patients to be knowledgeable and confident going into the process.

Pulling a Repairable Tooth
There may be situations where a patient might consider pulling a tooth rather than repairing it. While it may be less expensive up front, over time it may cost more. Once a tooth is removed, it is strongly suggested to fill the space with a dental appliance to avoid future complications.  The cost of an extraction plus the replacement of the tooth may be greater than repairing it.

Importance of Replacing the Missing Tooth: In most cases, we emphasize the importance of replacing extracted teeth.  Once a tooth is removed, the empty space allows the surrounding teeth to shift into that area. This shift could cause a misalignment in your mouth that may result in chewing or jaw-joint problems. These shifted teeth are harder to clean, making them more susceptible to gum disease, decay or even additional tooth loss. For these reasons, it’s important to replace extracted teeth with a bridge, a removable partial denture or an implant.