Dental Extractions

You and your dentist may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or they have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

The removal of a single tooth can lead to problems related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, and shifting teeth, which can have a major impact on your dental health.

To avoid these complications, in most cases, Dr. Overbeck will discuss alternatives to extractions as well replacement of the extracted tooth.

The Extraction Process

At the time of extraction the doctor will need to numb your tooth, jawbone and gums that surround the area with a local anesthetic.

During the extraction process you will feel a lot of pressure. This is from the process of firmly rocking the tooth in order to widen the socket for removal.

You feel the pressure without pain as the anesthetic has numbed the nerves stopping the transference of pain, yet the nerves that transmit pressure are not profoundly affected.

In the unlikely event that you do feel pain at any time during the extraction please let us know right away.

Sectioning a tooth

Some teeth require sectioning. This is a very common procedure done when a tooth is so firmly anchored in its socket or the root is curved and the socket can’t expand enough to remove it. The doctor simply cuts the tooth into sections then removes each section one at a time.

It has been our experience that patients fear and worry needlessly over the extraction process. In most cases, most patients react by saying that the experience was not nearly as bad as they feared. We will make this visit as comfortable as we possibly can for you. We promise.

Also, take the time now to read the section on this website on Preserving Your Jaw. There are a couple of decisions you will need to make at the time of extraction.