Tooth Extractions

When alternative treatments can no longer save a tooth, an extraction is the only solution to preserve your oral health. At Melillo Dental, in Yonkers, New York, James Melillo, DDS, Dasny Castillo-Beltran, DDS, and the team perform high-quality tooth extractions to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. To learn more, call the office or request an appointment online today. 

What is a tooth extraction?

A tooth extraction is a dental procedure in which a tooth is completely removed from its socket. While removing a visible tooth is a straightforward procedure, broken teeth, wisdom teeth, and impacted teeth require additional treatment.

Why would I need a tooth extraction?

There are many reasons the Melillo Dental team may recommend a tooth extraction, such as:

Tooth infection

If you have a tooth infection that can’t be treated with antibiotics and a root canal — a procedure in which your provider cleans out your entire tooth cavity — your overall health may be at risk. Once the infection spreads outside your tooth chamber, it can become life-threatening. You may experience fatigue, dizziness, facial pain, fever, rapid pulse rate, and more. The only way to keep the infection from spreading to other parts of your body is to extract the tooth as soon as possible.

Impacted wisdom tooth

When your wisdom teeth, or third molars, fail to erupt through the gums, they are impacted. This typically means they don’t have enough room to grow, or they’re growing at an angle. The best way to prevent further complications, such as tooth pain, gum inflammation, and tooth abscess, is by removing them altogether.

Crowded mouth

Not everybody has a large enough mouth to support all their teeth. To ensure that your teeth grow in properly, the Melillo Dental team may recommend extracting one or more teeth to make room for the rest. This helps keep your adult teeth in proper alignment.

Infection risk

Patients with a compromised immune system, especially those undergoing chemotherapy or an organ transplant, cannot risk a tooth infection. During your routine checkups, the Melillo Dental team determines if any of your teeth are at risk of infection, so they can extract them preemptively and preserve your oral health.

What can I expect from the tooth extraction process?

A tooth extraction requires very little preparation unless you receive special instructions. Before your provider removes your tooth, they give you a local anesthetic to numb the pain. However, your provider may recommend general anesthesia if the procedure is more complex. If the tooth is impacted, they may make an incision in the gums to expose the tooth and extract it.

Once the tooth is removed, your Melillo Dental provider packs the socket with clean gauze and has you bite down to staunch the bleeding. You can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to reduce inflammation and reduce pain over the next few days. If you experience minor swelling, apply an ice pack for 10 minutes at a time.

When you need a tooth extraction, it’s important to find a dentist you can trust. Call Melillo Dental or request an appointment online today to learn more.