Tooth extraction is a last resort for most dentists. Saving the natural tooth is always the goal, but when it isn’t possible to preserve a tooth that has been severely damaged or infected, professional tooth extraction is the best option. At Downtown Dental in Los Angeles, CA, our dental team carefully considers whether an oral health problem can be corrected with restorative dentistry or if tooth extraction is necessary.
Reasons for a Tooth Extraction
If the structure of a damaged or infected tooth cannot be corrected with root canal therapy, a tooth-colored filling, or a porcelain crown, tooth extraction is chosen to preserve the rest of a patient’s oral health. Dental problems never clear up on their own and only result in further pain. Tooth extraction can deliver immediate relief for people experiencing:
- Tooth infection
- Tooth decay
- Broken tooth root
- Advanced gum disease
- Abscess
- Jaw trauma
The Tooth Extraction Process
It doesn’t take long to have a tooth extracted, but the process is done meticulously to ensure that the entire tooth – crown and roots – is wholly removed. Some teeth can cause a lot of pain but that doesn’t mean they are weak. Their well-established root system needs to be extracted too. Here is what to expect:
- Prep: For this typical outpatient procedure, the area is numbed and sedation dentistry is administered if necessary to relax the patient and make the process easier.
- Extraction: The tooth is moved around in the socket so it separates from the ligament. Often, the tooth is removed in pieces.
- Cleaning: The now-empty socket is cleaned carefully so all infected tissue, tooth particles, and more are removed.
- Healing: The area is closed and prepared for a future dental restoration. The patient is sent home to heal and follow post-extraction instructions.
How to Replace an Extracted Tooth
Your Los Angeles dentist will explain the entire tooth extraction process from start to finish, including what happens after your tooth is gone. It is unwise to leave a hole in the mouth where a tooth once was – your dentist will recommend the most effective restoration for your smile once the area has healed to avoid structural changes and bite collapse. These may include:
- Dental implant: Replace the missing tooth root with a titanium post surgically embedded in the jawbone and replace tooth enamel with a porcelain crown for the strongest repair possible that looks like a natural tooth.
- Dental bridge: Made of clasps that attach to the teeth on either side of the extracted tooth, a dental bridge spans the gap and is topped with a customized tooth crown to complete an otherwise altered smile.
- Dentures: Anyone who has several teeth extracted because of gum disease or damage, a partial denture can be attached to dental implants or stand alone as a removable appliance to fill the holes in a compromised smile.
Do You Need a Tooth Extraction?
If you suspect that you need a tooth extraction, you may not want to deal with this problem head-on. But no dental emergency ever goes away on its own. A dentist’s expertise is necessary and, for many people, a tooth extraction saves them from further oral pain and discomfort, and the loss of additional teeth.
Contact Downtown Dental in Los Angeles if you are suffering from a severe toothache, swelling, or any other uncomfortable or concerning oral health problems. Our goal is to help you have excellent oral health and a strong smile. This begins with the right diagnosis, repair, and restoration.
Dr. Don Mungcal
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Dr. Don Mungcal, a distinguished dentist in Los Angeles, combines over three decades of experience with a deep commitment to patient care. A UCLA graduate, he earned his dental degree with honors from the University of the Pacific Dental School in 1990. Dr. Mungcal has been recognized as a Best Dentist in Downtown by the “Los Angeles Downtown News” for four years in a row and served as an instructor at USC Dental School. As an active member of the California Dental Society, among other prestigious organizations, he continually updates his expertise through extensive continuing education.
