Tooth Extractions
Our Ann Arbor, MI, dentists will do everything in their power to save a tooth. But sometimes a tooth is damaged or decayed beyond repair. Under these circumstances, we may need to extract the tooth to prevent your oral health from worsening further. In other words, tooth extractions are a last resort.
Here’s what you need to know about tooth extractions.
What to Expect
First, we’ll need to numb the tooth so you don’t experience any pain or discomfort during extraction.
Once the tooth is numb, we’ll use a tool called an elevator to help loosen the tooth. Then, we’ll use dental forceps to lift and remove the tooth from its socket.
After removing the tooth, the dentist will place a few stitches over the extraction site to help the gum tissue heal. We’ll also give you a gauze pad to gently bite down on, which will help the blood to clot.
Before you leave our office, we’ll give you specific aftercare instructions so you can focus on healing and recovery.
Aftercare
While you heal, it’s important that you do NOT use straws, brush the extraction site, or spit. These actions could dislodge the blood clot in the extraction site and lead to a painful condition called .
Think of your blood clot as a temporary bandage over the extraction site. If you dislodge this bandage, you risk exposing the bone underneath. This can lead to infection and other serious complications.
The good news is that you can easily avoid dry socket by carefully following your dentist’s instructions.
Tooth Replacement Options
After we , we strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our dentists to explore your tooth replacement options.
Once you lose one tooth, you risk losing more. This is because your teeth are held in place by adjacent teeth, gums, and the jawbone.
Our tooth replacement options include dentures, dental implants, and dental bridges.
Request an Appointment With Us
Do you have a severe toothache? If so, don’t wait to schedule an emergency appointment with us.
The sooner you seek urgent dental care, the sooner we can diagnose and treat the source of your dental pain.
To learn about your treatment options, schedule an appointment with one of our emergency dentists in Ann Arbor, MI. You may call Excel Dental at (734) 929-9999 or fill out our online contact form.