What are tooth extractions?
We usually recommend extractions as a last resort for teeth that we’re unable to repair using other dental treatments. An extraction is a dental surgery that pulls your child’s tooth. Your child's baby teeth naturally fall out when they’re between 6 and 12 years of age.
However, there are a few situations that require us to extract your child’s tooth:
The tooth is severely damaged
If a cavity or other dental trauma has caused extreme damage to the tooth, we may not be able to fix it using restorative procedures, like a filling or crown. This happens when the tooth’s structure is too damaged to successfully repair and restore.
Your child isn’t losing their baby teeth fast enough
Sometimes, your child’s baby teeth take too long to fall out. If their permanent teeth are ready to come in, these teeth won’t have anywhere to go, causing them to be impacted or lead to spacing and crowding issues in your child's mouth. Extractions remove baby teeth so that permanent teeth can come in, reducing the need for orthodontic intervention in the future.
Your child has gum disease
Gum disease can affect the tissues and bones around the teeth, leading to an infection that requires us to remove the tooth for successful treatment.
What to expect during an extraction?
We follow these steps for tooth extractions:
Examine the tooth
We’ll conduct a visual examination and utilize x-rays to confirm that extraction is the best treatment for your child’s tooth.
Administer anesthesia
Anesthesia ensures that the extraction is comfortable and pain-free for your child. There are a few different types of dental anesthesia that we use for extractions. We’ll recommend a method that fits your child’s dental needs and comfort level regarding the procedure.
Remove the tooth
We use special equipment to gently rock your child’s tooth back and forth so that the roots detach and we’re able to extract it. When the tooth is out, we may use stitches to close your child’s gum tissue and control bleeding.
Place a space maintainer
Depending on the underlying cause for the tooth extraction, we may need to use a space maintainer to hold space in your child’s mouth for their permanent tooth to grow in and prevent their other teeth from shifting.
What are the benefits?
Extractions have several benefits for your child:
Relieves pain
Tooth accidents, infections, and injuries can cause a lot of pain and make your child uncomfortable. Extracting a severely damaged tooth eliminates this disruptive pain.
Protects the rest of their teeth
Tooth infections can spread quickly and cause irreversible damage to your child’s teeth and dental tissues. Extractions eliminate and contain the infection.
Quickly fixes a dental issue
Extracting your child’s tooth is a fast, effective way to treat whatever dental issue is threatening their oral health.
Tooth Extractions, Queens & Brooklyn, New York
OUR TREATMENTS
Tooth extractions remove your child’s tooth to treat infection or damage; this treatment is also used to alleviate overcrowding.
