A painful, throbbing tooth can make eating, and even speaking difficult. Dr. Shaun Alex at District Cosmetic Dental strives to make extraction as pain-free as possible for his patients in the Washington, D.C., area. Don't keep dealing with an achy tooth, learn what you can expect from a tooth extraction and what Dr. Alex does to make the procedure as comfortable as possible. Schedule your appointment about tooth extraction with Dr. Alex by calling his office or scheduling it using our online system.
Tooth extraction is more commonly known as having a tooth pulled.
Dr. Alex at District Cosmetic Dental performs extractions only as a last resort. He strives to allow you to keep your natural teeth, and will only extract them if absolutely necessary.
People may have a tooth, or multiple teeth, extracted for many reasons, such as:
Your teeth may also be extracted in preparation for orthodontic work. If a child’s baby teeth aren’t falling out or if your teeth are impacted, Dr. Alex may remove them to create space and allow the orthodontic work to be successful.
Young adults and older teenagers may also have their wisdom teeth pulled. If wisdom teeth grow in crooked or start to push teeth out their way, Dr. Alex pulls them to prevent other issues. Dr. Alex may also pull your wisdom teeth if they cause pain.
There are two ways extractions are done: through a simple extraction or through a surgical extraction. Dr. Alex determines the best way to remove your tooth through the use of dental X-rays and an examination of your mouth
With a simple extraction, Dr. Alex injects your gums with a local anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain during the procedure. He then removes the tooth by pulling it out of the socket.
A surgical extraction is more complicated. First, Dr. Alex gives you both a local anesthetic to numb the area and intravenous anesthesia to make you relaxed and calm. Next, he makes an incision in the gum and, if needed, removes bone and tissue. He then removes the tooth.
Dr. Alex strives to extract teeth in the most comfortable, pain-free way possible. However, you may experience some swelling and discomfort after your extraction.
After your tooth removal, be sure to:
It takes one to two weeks for the area to heal. Dr. Alex will go over aftercare instructions with you prior to pulling the tooth.
Don’t put off having a tooth pulled that needs it. Make an appointment with Dr. Alex at District Cosmetic Dental in Washington, D.C., today. Schedule your appointment online or by calling his office.
