Tooth Extraction in Houston, Texas
When looking for reliable dentistry for tooth extraction in Houston, TX, we welcome you to Champions Dental. Our dentist will provide you with the best dental care and solutions to meet your oral health needs. Thanks to our experience of over 15 years and the top-tier team of dental professionals, we are able to offer premium-grade dentistry to patients of all ages.
What are Tooth Extractions?
Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the jawbone. Though one of our primary goals as dentists is to maintain the health and integrity of your teeth and smile, sometimes preserving oral health involves this more specific intervention. You may require the extraction of a tooth for several issues, including those situations when other treatment options are deemed ineffective. Whether through gum disease, trauma, or infection, a tooth may require removal to keep the surrounding teeth, gum, bone, and tissue healthy and your mouth feeling pain-free. In other words, extraction becomes necessary for a tooth that is no longer viable. Tooth extraction may also be the first step in dental treatment plans involving dentures, dental bridges, dentures, and implants, for orthopedic treatment or pediatric intervention when overcrowding is a problem. Whatever the reason for your tooth extraction in Houston may be, visit Champions Dental for effective oral health solutions!
Tooth Extraction Procedure in Houston
We understand that the thought of tooth extraction may be intimidating for many patients. Knowing what to expect beforehand and how to best prepare can minimize dental anxiety and lead to a more comfortable experience. Let us walk you through a typical tooth extraction procedure in Houston, Texas.
Preparation for Tooth Extraction
Before the procedure, our dental team will thoroughly examine the tooth and surrounding area. X-ray images of the tooth will help us determine the appropriate course of treatment and which type of tooth extraction should be performed in our Houston office. Carefully considering the health of the tooth and the reason for extraction gives our team the information they need to ensure extraction goes smoothly and minimizes any discomfort.
A Pain-Free Experience
After determining the most appropriate method for removing your tooth, the dentist will recommend anesthesia and/or sedation for your procedure. When arriving at our dental office for your appointment, the decided upon sedation will be provided. This step ensures that you feel at ease throughout the process and that the tooth extraction remains as pain-free as possible. Levels of sedation that may be considered include nitrous sedation (otherwise known as laughing gas), oral sedation, and IV sedation. Each of these methods, if selected, is followed by local anesthesia that's injected into the gum surrounding the tooth for a pain-free tooth extraction at our Houston clinic.
Extracting the Tooth
Once you've been prepped, your dentist will carefully remove the tooth being treated. Depending on the technique that is used and the condition of the tooth, the procedure may involve loosening the tooth, widening the socket, surgically removing adjoined gum, bone, or tissue, or simply using forceps to pull the tooth from its place in the bone safely. After extraction, your dentist may use sutures to close the extraction site. This will lessen any bleeding and can help to maximize healing. Following your tooth extraction procedure in Houston, we will give you time to recover if sedation is used and will provide recovery guidelines to follow during the healing process.
What are my options for tooth extraction?
Simple
Simple tooth extraction is the first of the two types of extraction used for a tooth removal. With this technique, your dentist will use forceps to remove the entire tooth, including its roots, from its socket in the jawbone. To perform this technique, the whole crown of the tooth must be above the gumline. Because of its simplicity, this tooth extraction method is relatively cheaper and typically requires only local anesthesia injected into the treatment area. So, you can have this cheap tooth extraction in a single visit in Houston with lesser recovery time and cost.
Surgical
Surgical tooth extraction is a more complex procedure that may be required to remove a tooth that hasn't yet erupted, is partially erupted, or is growing improperly. Teeth either entirely or partially covered by soft tissue or bone may require this type of extraction. For this technique, your dentist will carefully assess the location of the tooth and its implications on surrounding teeth through radiographic images. Surgical tooth extraction may involve separating any nearby bone or soft tissue connected to the tooth being treated.
Whether a simple or surgical procedure is performed will depend on your tooth's condition and the extraction reason. A tooth that is physically damaged or cracked, for example, may require a surgical extraction to remove all pieces of the tooth carefully. An otherwise healthy tooth that needs removal due to overcrowding, on the other hand, may involve a simple extraction. A comprehensive consultation with our Champions Dental team for tooth extraction in Houston will allow us to develop a plan that explicitly considers your dental needs.
Champions Dental for Your Tooth Extraction Needs
At Champions Dental, we believe a healthy, radiant smile plays an essential role in overall health and confidence. With more than 15 years of experience and dedication to honing our expertise, we commit ourselves to providing premier dental services for our community. Using the most advanced treatment techniques and crafting individualized plans to optimize oral health, we offer our patients an unmatched level of comfort as we meet their dental needs.
Visit our team at Champions Dental today for a tooth extraction consultation or call to schedule your first appointment. Your beautiful smile awaits!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does insurance cover tooth extractions?
Dental implants are a prosthetic solution for missing or decayed teeth. With the look and functionality of a natural tooth, an implant consists of a titanium base that is screwed into the jaw bone and a crown, or false tooth, that attaches to the metal implant.
How long do tooth extractions take to heal?
Recovery time depends on the medical history of the patient and the complexity of the extraction performed. For example, a patient with underlying health concerns such as diabetes and high blood pressure who takes blood thinners will have a longer healing period. You can expect more post-op discomfort for a patient who underwent a more complicated procedure involving the removal of adjacent bone. I typically tell patients that the gums heal after three weeks and the bone remodels after 90 days.
Are tooth extractions painful?
Though sedation and anesthesia are typically utilized to minimize pain and discomfort, tooth extractions may be painful for a patient with a more complicated medical history. The healing process may be longer for individuals who suffer from underlying health concerns or face a complex extraction.
How can I prevent infections after a tooth extraction?
To prevent infections, it's important to follow all post-op instructions provided by your dentist. Though all patients heal differently, it's up to the patient to ensure healing is not disrupted. Prioritize good oral hygiene while the wound is healing and refrain from smoking or eating anything that could cause harm to the healing process.
How much can tooth extractions cost if I don’t have insurance?
Out-of-pocket costs for tooth extractions will vary depending on the type of extraction. The procedure may be simple or surgical and involve soft tissue impaction, partial bony impaction, or complete bony impaction. Depending on these factors, the cost may range from $200-$450.
What can I eat after a tooth extraction?
Immediately following a tooth extraction, it's important to stick to a liquid and soft foods diet and avoid drinking through a straw. After the procedure, our dental team will provide you with recovery guidelines to follow, including types of foods to avoid.
What are some complications of tooth extractions?
Possible tooth extraction complications may include dry socket, abscess, infection, pain, swelling, fever, partial numbness, and permanent numbness. To minimize these risks, we ensure a thorough assessment of your tooth condition and the surrounding area before the treatment.