A Gentle Tooth Extraction Can Help Protect Your Oral Health
For patients with dental issues such as overcrowding or severe tooth decay that cannot be resolved with restorative procedures, a tooth extraction may become necessary. Park City Oral Surgery in Park City, UT, can perform gentle, safe extractions to preserve your oral health. Dr. Lifferth uses precise techniques and gentle sedation to ensure optimal comfort throughout all of our procedures. He can perform both simple and complex tooth extractions, depending on your unique needs.
Dr. Lifferth can use advanced technology and techniques to gently extract damaged teeth and protect your long-term oral health.
Why a Tooth Extraction is Necessary
Extraction is generally viewed as a last resort when other restorative treatments, such as a dental filling or root canal therapy have been unsuccessful in order to protect your overall oral health. However, tooth extraction is often necessary for patients with:
- Overcrowding
- A tooth with severe decay that cannot be repaired
- A baby tooth that is preventing the permanent tooth from erupting
- Impacted or partially impacted teeth
- Fractured or severely damaged teeth
- Wisdom teeth that are infected, impacted, or causing misalignment
Our team will use our advanced technology to take highly detailed 3-D scans of your teeth and jaws to determine if extraction is necessary, and the best approach for your treatment.
The Tooth Extraction Procedure
Before beginning your procedure, we will administer any necessary sedation and a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue. At Park City Oral Surgery we provide nitrous oxide and intravenous (IV) sedation to ensure that our patients are more comfortable and at ease during a tooth extraction procedure.
Once you are ready, Dr. Lifferth will begin the procedure. For a tooth above the gum line, he will perform a simple extraction. During this procedure, he will gently loosen the tooth, using a rocking motion to carefully move the tooth back and forth. He will then use dental instruments to grasp the tooth and lift it from the jaw. Gauze will be placed over the socket and pressure applied to reduce any bleeding. If necessary, Dr. Lifferth can place dissolvable sutures.
A complex tooth extraction is generally necessary for a tooth that is partially or fully impacted. Dr. Lifferth will make a small incision in the gums above the impacted tooth. If necessary, he will remove any soft or hard tissue preventing access to the tooth. He may then gently divide the tooth into pieces for easier removal. This technique can reduce the impact to the surrounding jawbone and improve healing.
Depending on your needs, Dr. Lifferth may also perform jawbone reshaping to speed recovery and make placing a restoration easier. Once the tooth has been removed, Dr. Lifferth will close the incision with dissolvable sutures, and the extraction site will be packed with gauze to minimize bleeding.
If you are suffering from a severely infected tooth that has not responded well to other restorative treatments, Dr. Lifferth can perform a gentle extraction to minimize your discomfort.
Recovering from a Tooth Extraction
Because of Dr. Lifferth’ extensive experience and ongoing training in oral surgery, your tooth extraction will be performed with gentle techniques in a comfortable and relaxing environment. You will be given detailed aftercare instructions to follow to reduce your risk for infection and help ensure a quick recovery. Any discomfort and swelling can generally be managed with over-the-counter pain medication or any prescriptions that we provide.
Resting, maintaining a soft food diet, and keeping the extraction site clean for the first few days after the procedure will help expedite your healing. You should avoid any serious physical exertion or drinking from straws until cleared to do so. Once you have healed, Dr. Lifferth can provide a dental implant and lifelike restoration to replace your missing tooth.
Receive Gentle Treatment
If you are suffering from a severely infected tooth that has not responded well to other restorative treatments, Dr. Lifferth can perform a gentle extraction to minimize your discomfort. Contact us online or call (435) 222-0450 to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Lifferth.