Gentle Tooth Extraction Using Advanced Techniques                              

A tooth extraction can become necessary if you have a tooth that is damaged or decayed beyond repair. Extraction may also be recommended if your smile is overcrowded, or if wisdom teeth are problematic. At Family Dental Care focuses on your comfort for a pain-free procedure. After extracting a tooth at our Flowood, MS, dental practice, we can recommend the right restorative treatment to keep your smile healthy and attractive. In some cases, tooth extraction is the best way to restore the health of your smile.              

Reasons for Tooth Extraction

Your dentist may recommend extracting a tooth if:

• Teeth are crowded, misaligned, or preventing the eruption of other teeth.
• A permanent tooth is coming in before a primary tooth has fallen out.
• You need braces, and certain teeth will prevent optimal alignment.
• Gum disease or decay has caused severe damage to a tooth that cannot be resolved.
• A tooth has a serious crack or fracture.
• You have wisdom teeth that are causing issues or on course to harm surrounding teeth and other tissues.

Before recommending extraction, our team will conduct a careful assessment of your smile and explore every possible alternative. Rest assured that extraction is a last resort, and if it is possible to restore your tooth using a more conservative treatment, we will explain your options and help you make an informed decision.

About the Extraction Process

Prior to extracting your tooth, we will administer a local anesthetic. We also offer several sedation options to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure, including nitrous oxide, IV, and oral conscious sedation. The type of sedation recommended will depend on the complexity of your treatment and the number of teeth being extracted.

If you have a severely damaged or decayed tooth, we can perform a minimally invasive tooth extraction to restore the health of your smile.

Once you are comfortable, your dentist will begin the extraction process. For the extraction of fully erupted teeth, your dentist will gently move the tooth back and forth and then lift it out.

If the tooth is partially or completely trapped below the gum line, your dentist may need to make incisions in the gums or jaw tissue to access the tooth, and may need to separate the tooth into pieces in order to extract it. Once the dentist has removed all pieces of the tooth, he or she can close the incision.

How Long Is the Recovery?

Recovery may take one to three days. During this time, you should limit physical activity and take any pain medications as directed. Patients should avoid hot food and drinks and should not drink through a straw. You can apply ice to the area to reduce swelling and ease any discomfort.

Restore Your Oral Health

At Family Dental Care, we are committed to helping you achieve and maintain your oral health. If you have a severely damaged or decayed tooth, Dr. Jan O'Keefe Belote and Dr. Claire Stanford Logan can perform a minimally invasive tooth extraction to restore the health of your smile. We can also provide you with tips for at-home care to keep your smile healthy after an extraction. Contact us online or by phone at (601) 936-2526 to schedule your appointment. We also serve areas such as Brandon, Ridgeland, Madison, Clinton, Richland, Gluckstadt.