At Virgin Valley Dental, our ultimate priority is to help you preserve each and every one of your natural teeth. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Sometimes oral disease spreads through a tooth to the point that it is no longer restorable. Or, it risks being transferred to the neighboring teeth. As a result, we may recommend pulling the tooth to achieve a healthy balance before we can move forward.
Does My Tooth Need to be Pulled?
When is the appropriate time to extract a tooth? Some situations where pulling a tooth are appropriate may include:
- Full mouth rehabilitation
- Getting dentures or dental implants
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Severe periodontal disease
- Severe tooth decay
- Dental emergencies
As complete health dentists, we must take into account how the tooth will impact your overall health if it is left alone, as well as if we were to extract it. We will consider everything from your long-term smile needs to your existing medical conditions prior to recommending an extraction.
Replacing Your Missing Tooth
Once a tooth has been pulled, we will want to replace it as quickly as possible. This preserves natural tooth spacing and prevents the other teeth from drifting out of place. Even teeth in the opposite arch often come out of place when their biting partner has been removed.
Some of the methods of tooth replacement available include bridges and dental implants. Our Mesquite dentists, Dr. Harris and Dr. Dumitru, will work with you closely to choose the method that is most appropriate for your smile.
During your extraction, as with any other service, we also place a priority on your comfort throughout the visit. Please ask us about the sedation options that are available.
We also offer teeth cleaning and other preventative care services.
Wisdom Teeth
The final set of teeth to erupt in a teen or young adult is the 3rd set of molars, often referred to as “wisdom teeth.” Wisdom teeth may erupt into place with little to no discomfort, but they have a reputation for creating pain, swelling, and damage to adjacent teeth.
In certain cases, it may be necessary to have them extracted. This resolves the area of localized infection, and prevents complications associated with other teeth in the mouth. Some of the reasons why Drs. Dumitru or Harris may recommend extracting the 3rd molars include:
- Being impacted against adjacent teeth
- Tooth decay
- Chronic pain or discomfort
- Crowding or shifting of the other teeth
- Partial eruption
Due to their location, even partially erupted wisdom teeth are difficult to clean properly. Because of this, they often develop periodontal disease or tooth decay. As such, we typically recommend having them removed before the problem spreads or worsens.
Keeping You Comfortable During Surgery
It is understandable that many of our patients are concerned about their comfort during wisdom tooth removal surgery. As such, we provide sedation options to minimize any discomfort felt throughout the procedure. We also work closely with you to monitor any discomfort felt throughout the recovery period.
If you or your teen is experiencing pain or discomfort through the jaws or back of the mouth, it could be due to the wisdom teeth. A quick panoramic x-ray and exam at our Mesquite office is all you need to get quick answers concerning the health of your 3rd molars. Please call Virgin Valley Dental today to schedule an exam with us.
If you have any questions about our services, please contact us today at (702) 346-3880.