Teeth Extraction in Marietta
While no dentist ever wants to recommend tooth extraction, there are several cases where this may not be avoidable. The most commonly extracted teeth are third molars, wisdom teeth, but there are other situations in which extracting one or more teeth may be beneficial to a patient’s overall oral health. At Muskingum Valley Oral Surgery, we’re happy to provide expert surgical and non-surgical tooth removal. If you need one or more teeth extracted, it’s important you understand this is not necessarily bad news. Our skilled oral surgeon, Dr. Jeff Lee, can safely and comfortably remove your tooth, leaving you with a flawless, healthy smile. When necessary, we also offer a wide range of tooth replacement options, so your smile will be fully restored. Call our Marietta oral surgery practice today to schedule your tooth extraction consultation.
Some cases in which extraction may not be avoidable include:
Why You Should Visit an Oral Surgeon for Tooth Extraction
General dentists often offer tooth extractions, but these dentists do not have the same level of education, training, and hands on experience with advanced surgical techniques. Dr. Lee performs surgical treatments including tooth extractions on a daily basis, and he has the ability to perform even the most complex extractions with ease.
Some cases in which extraction may not be avoidable include:
- In preparation for orthodontic treatment on patients with severe crowding
- When teeth are impacted (unable to erupt from the gum line)
- When one or more teeth have severely decayed putting surrounding teeth at risk
- When infection has spread into the gum line making patients ill
- When teeth are broken beyond repair due to trauma
- When the remaining natural dental structure is no longer strong enough to support a restoration
The Tooth Extraction Process
To extract teeth non-surgically, we simply numb the area, and use forceps to gently shift the tooth back and forth until it pulls free from the gums. In the majority of cases, permanent teeth need to be surgically removed. Depending on the state of the tooth to be extracted, the surgery may be as simple as removing minimal amounts of gum tissue or as complex as sectioning pieces of the tooth away from the bone to be extracted individually. Whatever the case, our team works with each patient to determine the best, safest, most comfortable means of tooth extraction, and we take time to develop a thorough treatment plan prior to your procedure.
Postoperative Care
Following any surgery, you should plan to rest and relax for 48 to 72 hours. You should also avoid the site when brushing, flossing, and eating. You will likely experience some mild discomfort and swelling, but you should be able to address these issues with mild pain relievers and cold compresses. If you still experience significant discomfort or swelling after the first 72 hours, it’s important you contact Dr. Lee for an emergency appointment. You should also call right away if you experience heavy bleeding, have a foul odor in the mouth, or notice infection or inflammation in the soft tissue around the treatment site.
Dry socket is one of the most common oral health issues following tooth extraction. This occurs because the blood clot that forms over the socket is dislodged or disintegrates before the site is fully healed. When this occurs, you will experience severe pain and sensitivity due to the exposed bone and healing gum tissue. You can care for this issue at home by irrigating the socket with saline and covering the wound with sterile gauze. However, it’s best to let our team help you. We have gauze with healing and pain relieving ointments built in that will help you feel better right away.
Understanding the Cost of Tooth Extractions
We can only give you an estimate of how much your tooth extraction will cost after we’ve had a chance to examine your mouth. After all, getting an extraction can mean different things for different patients; some patients only need one tooth taken out while others will have multiple teeth extracted to protect their oral health. Once we fully understand your situation, we can give you more information about the costs involved as well as your options for saving money on your care.
Factors That Can Affect Tooth Extraction Cost
There are many things we need to consider before we can give you an estimate of how much tooth extraction will cost:
- Obviously, the number of teeth that need to be removed matters. The more teeth involved, the higher the cost will be.
- The overall difficulty of the procedure needs to be taken into account. A simple extraction is less costly than a complex one that requires surgery.
- If you are replacing the extracted tooth, then that will be added to the overall cost. Possible options for replacing teeth include bridges, dentures, and dental implants; all of these treatments carry their own costs.
You will be given a reliable estimate to consider before we ask you to commit to a dental implant procedure. That way you’re much less likely to be caught off guard when the time comes to pay for your treatment.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Tooth Extractions?
Tooth extractions are included under most dental insurance plans. Coverage is usually around 50% of the cost of the treatment once you’ve met the deductible. Keep in mind, however, that every plan is different; some may only pay for a certain number of teeth to be removed, and there might be a waiting period before you can get any coverage. And of course, there’s also the question of coverage for replacement teeth to consider. It’s always worth taking the time to call your insurance company to confirm what kind of benefits they offer before you make any sort of decision.
How to Make Tooth Extractions Affordable
Our team will work with you to help you get the most out of any insurance coverage you have available so that you can save as much money as possible on your care. If you don’t have insurance, you can also sign up for a CareCredit payment plan through our office. CareCredit offers financing for a variety of dental treatments, letting you pay in monthly installments instead of all at once. Breaking the cost into smaller amounts can be a convenient way to fit even more extensive procedures into your budget.
If you need a tooth extraction for whatever reason but aren’t sure how you’re going to pay for it, don’t worry. Our team at Muskingum Valley Oral Surgery will make sure you’re well aware of your options so that you make the choice that’s right for your mouth and your wallet.
Tooth Extraction FAQs
When you think you need to have tooth extraction or have been told an extraction is required, you’re likely to have plenty of questions about the procedure. Part of Dr. Lee’s job is to make sure patients are well-educated about the treatment they receive so that they can make informed decisions. Keep reading to learn more about teeth extraction in Marietta by discovering the answers to the following questions that patients often ask. Let us know if you have a concern that is not answered here.
How Should I Prepare for an Extraction?
After we’ve set a date for the procedure, we may need you to follow some additional instructions. Patients with weakened immune systems will likely need to take extra steps to protect themselves from infection after the surgery is performed; this might include a prescription of antibiotics. Also, if you’re undergoing general anesthesia, we’ll ask you not to drink or eat anything for about eight hours before your appointment. If you get sick close to the selected date, let us know so that we can reschedule or otherwise adjust our treatment plan.
Is My Pain Normal?
It goes without saying that there’s some discomfort associated with tooth extraction. You won’t experience much discomfort during the procedure itself thanks to a local anesthetic numbing the area. Afterwards though, you’re likely to notice some pain and swelling, especially during the first day. You can take over-the-counter pain medication to make the situation more manageable. An ice pack can help as well and will also keep the aforementioned swelling under control. As your mouth heals, the pain should slowly fade away. However, if it doesn’t seem to go away or grows worse, you should call us immediately, especially if you notice signs of infection such as fever or nausea.
How Long Will It Take for the Gums to Completely Heal?
The short answer is that everyone has a different recovery time. The initial healing period is normally about one to two weeks long, and your gums should be largely back to normal after four weeks (although the bone underneath could take even longer to recover). There are a number of factors that affect healing time, including the location of the tooth, how healthy it was before the extraction, and how large it was. To ensure a smooth recovery, you need to keep your mouth and the rest of your body healthy with good oral hygiene and a nutritious diet.
What Should I Do About the Gap Left Behind?
You’ll need to give some thought beforehand about what you want to do to replace your tooth. Leaving the space empty could eventually lead to dental drift and other oral health issues. In most cases, Dr. Lee will recommend dental implants, which act as strong, stable roots for crowns so that your new teeth look and feel as natural as possible. It may even be possible to have implants placed on the same day as the extraction, so don’t forget to ask about them during the initial consultation.