Tooth Extractions Buckhead Atlanta, GA

Buckhead Atlanta dentist Dr. Jane Puskas does her best to help patients maintain their natural teeth, and we never make the recommendation for tooth extraction lightly. However, when tooth removal is necessary, our skilled dentists are happy to provide these services in our state-of-the-art dentistry office. If needed, we also provide a wide range of tooth replacement solutions to repair your smile as quickly as possible. If you want to learn more about tooth extraction or any of our other restorative dentistry services, call our team to schedule a consultation appointment in our Buckhead Atlanta dental office. We look forward to partnering with you to create a healthy, happy smile.

When Is Tooth Extraction Recommended?

We will not recommend tooth extraction unless it is the best option to help you avoid more serious oral health concerns or additional damage. Some of the situations where tooth extraction is necessary include:

• When teeth are too severely damaged or decayed to support a restoration
• When teeth are crowded making orthodontic alignment difficult or impossible
• When remaining teeth make it difficult to design a functional denture
• When primary teeth are unable to fall out on their own
• When teeth are impacted, unable to emerge from the gums
• Third molars, wisdom teeth, are the most often removed

Why Are Wisdom Teeth Removed So Often?

We may recommend wisdom tooth extraction for a number of reasons. Most often, there simply isn’t adequate jaw space to allow the teeth to develop without damaging surrounding tooth structure or causing adverse changes to the alignment of the smile. This lack of space may also lead to impaction, and when the teeth can’t erupt, they need to be removed to avoid unnecessary complications.

How Are Teeth Extracted?

Your tooth will either be pulled or surgically removed. Pulling simply means that the tooth has fully erupted, and we’re able to pull it free from the supportive tissue without the need to cut or drill into gums or jawbone. Surgical removal means we do need cut away soft tissue, drill into supportive bone, or break the tooth into smaller pieces to perform successful extraction. Regardless of what method we use, our team will work with you to maintain complete comfort throughout the process using local anesthetics to numb the area, and when necessary, we can also provide dental sedation options.

What Happens After Tooth Extraction?

Following your tooth extraction procedure, you will experience discomfort, swelling, and bleeding for the first 48 hours. During this time, you should use gauze to absorb blood and place pressure on the extraction site to slow bleeding. Take over the counter or prescription pain medication as directed to ensure you remain comfortable. You should also use ice packs at 20 minute intervals to diminish swelling and provide pain relief. For the first few days, you should limit your diet to liquids. Once you feel able to begin chewing, introduce soft foods first, and avoid chewing near the extraction site. If you notice increasing pain, sensitivity, continued bleeding, or warning signs of infection like fever, call our office immediately.