Dental Extractions
Tooth extractions are a last resort procedure when a natural tooth is damaged beyond repair. While our team at Friesz Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in St. Cloud, MN, always works to save all your natural teeth with preventive care and restorative procedures, there are some cases when tooth extraction is the best option. In that case, our team works to extract the tooth as safely and painlessly as possible.
When Is Tooth Extraction Necessary?
Tooth extractions are considered a last resort for treating problems with your teeth, but there are, unfortunately, some cases when removing a tooth is the best method for improving your overall oral health. Typical reasons why tooth extraction may be necessary include:
Severe Damage or Decay
If a tooth has significant decay or a severe crack, an extraction may become the only option for treatment. Typically, our skilled dental team can repair a damaged tooth with dental fillings or dental crowns, leaving the natural root and much of the tooth in place. But when the damage is very severe, an extraction and replacement with a dental bridge or dental implant may be the better option.
Orthodontia
There are times when tooth removal is necessary to prepare your teeth for orthodontic treatment. This usually happens in cases where there is overcrowding in your mouth, making it difficult to properly align the teeth.
Insufficient Space
Wisdom teeth are commonly removed due to insufficient space to allow them to grow in properly. Removal helps keep your other teeth in alignment and prevent impaction or infection.
Infection
Teeth that are infected may need to be removed to prevent the spread of the infection to your gums. While root canal therapy can often treat minor infections, more severe infections may require removal of the tooth.
Tooth Extraction Procedure
At Friesz Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in St. Cloud, MN, our main goal is providing top-quality dental care so you can keep all your natural teeth in place. But when tooth extraction is necessary, we prioritize providing safe and painless extraction with a range of options for replacing the tooth with a dental implant or dental bridge.
If the extraction is a difficult one or requires removing a tooth that has not yet erupted, Dr. Friesz may refer you to a local oral surgery professional for a surgical tooth extraction. During a surgical extraction, you may receive general anesthesia in addition to the local anesthetic, so you will be asleep during the entire procedure.
During the procedure, your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic so you don’t feel any pain. We will then remove the tooth and pack the area with gauze to help it heal and reduce bleeding. Following a tooth extraction, you will have some soreness in your mouth for a few days. We suggest icing the affected area to reduce swelling and pain. You will need to eat soft foods and limit physical activity for a few days following extraction.
To learn more about extractions, call 320-253-1370.
