Stay Comfortable During Tooth Removal in Dallas, TX
Tooth removal isn’t on anyone’s list of favorite dental procedures. Unlike cosmetic dentistry or restorative dentistry treatments, an extraction isn’t always planned well in advance. However, you will feel better afterward, as extraction is often used to remove teeth that are causing pain or to prepare for a smile improvement.
Doctor Cary Shatto on Tooth Removals and Extractions
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So as far as extractions here, I do most all my extractions here. I do wisdom teeth. Our primary concern is to save teeth that are restorable with crowns or fillings. But if there's a tooth that is just not restorable, there's just not enough tooth there, then we look at the long-term approach. In doing so, we try to maintain the architecture of the mouth, meaning that when you take teeth out, you lose bone. So whenever you can keep something in there, it's going to help with the bony architecture, so you don't start losing bone and sort of get that sunken in area. So by taking a tooth out, which we do almost every day, we like to do what's called socket preservation.
So when you remove a tooth, you have a socket. And where the roots existed, there's nothing there. And if you don't replace it, the socket shrinks, and you lose that bone. But what we do is we actually place bone in that socket and we suture it up, and what it does is it preserves the bony architecture, and you don't lose that bone that you would otherwise. And then you can place an implant, do a bridge, and you still have your bone preserved.
At our office, your tooth extraction procedure:
- Will be performed Dr. Cary Shatto, who has more than 25 years of experience
- Will take place in a completely private operatory
- Will be as pain-free as possible with local anesthesia, and the addition of dental sedation if you need it
Unlike some general dentists, Dr. Shatto is comfortable performing most tooth extraction procedures, including wisdom teeth removal. To find out more about tooth removal or other oral surgery procedures, call American Family Dental at 214-340-4965.
Get a Socket Preservation Procedure
Dr. Shatto may recommend a socket preservation procedure following the removal of your tooth. This involves introducing material to spur bone growth into the socket that once contained your tooth. It helps prevent the bone loss that occurs after a tooth is removed.
There are several reasons for doing so:
- To prevent a dry socket, a painful condition that can occur if the blood clot protecting your extraction site comes loose
- To help maintain the natural appearance of your gums and jaw
- To maintain healthy bone strength for future tooth replacements like dental implants
We’ll Extract a Tooth Only When Needed
We do everything we can to preserve natural teeth, using procedures like root canals and dental restorations like crowns. Sometimes, however, for the sake of your overall oral health, an extraction is best.
Some common reasons:
- Wisdom teeth that are impacted or causing other problems
- Gums so damaged by disease that teeth have loosened
- Infection so advanced that it can’t be resolved with a root canal
- A tooth so damaged it can’t be repaired with a restoration like a crown
- To make room for dentures or other tooth replacements
- To create space for teeth to move during orthodontic treatment
No matter why you need a tooth removal, you’re in good hands for the procedure at American Family Dental. Call 214-340-4965 for an appointment.