Dental Extractions in Chagrin Falls

Chagrin Falls Dental provides tooth extractions in Chagrin Falls, OH. Call 440-247-8641 to learn more and schedule your appointment. 

The goal of dentistry is to preserve your natural teeth, but there are times when a permanent tooth must be extracted in order to restore oral health. Sometimes, teeth need to be extracted to allow space for orthodontic treatment; other times, severe damage, decay, gum disease, or infection leave us no option but extraction. As the only all-in-one dental practice in Chagrin Falls, we provide tooth extraction procedures right in our office for your convenience.

To ensure your safety, we’ll ask for your complete health history and a list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications you take before scheduling a tooth extraction. This is because certain medications and underlying medical conditions can increase your risk of bleeding. Other patients may have health issues that leave them at a higher risk of infection, in which case antibiotics will be needed. 

When you come in for your tooth extraction appointment, your tooth and the tissue surrounding it are thoroughly numbed to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. If a tooth is impacted, we’ll remove any tissue that is blocking access to it. A tool called an elevator is used to loosen the tooth, then we gently remove it from the jaw using forceps. Rarely, a tooth may need to be cut into pieces in order to extract it.

Extractions usually take less than a few minute per tooth. We can remove as many teeth as needed in a single procedure. Once your tooth is removed, the socket is cleaned and sutures are placed, if needed. You’ll be asked to bite down on a sterile gauze pad to encourage the formation of a blood clot, which is the first step in the healing process. Keep it in place as instructed, changing to a fresh piece of gauze if it becomes saturated with blood.

We’ll provide you with detailed instructions for the hours and days after your tooth extraction. You should count on taking the rest of the day off of school or work. For 24 hours, avoid spitting, rinsing your mouth, brushing your teeth, or engaging in strenuous activity. Get plenty of rest and use pillows to prop yourself up, rather than lying flat. Eat soft, lukewarm foods and use an ice pack for 10-20 minutes of every hour to minimize swelling.

The day after your extraction, you can begin to return to your normal activities, diet, and oral hygiene routine. Avoid the extraction site when eating and brushing, and don’t start to eat hard, chewy, or crunchy foods until the extraction site heals. Don’t smoke or participate in strenuous activities for 72 hours after your extraction, and avoid using a straw or chewing tobacco for a week. This is important, because not following these instructions leaves you at higher risk of dislodging your blood clot and causing a painful dry socket.

You can expect to experience mild to moderate pain, swelling, and bleeding for a day or two after a tooth extraction. Call us immediately if you experience uncontrollable bleeding, severe pain or swelling, and any new pain or swelling after three days. Fever, chills, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, and excessive drainage from the extraction site are all potential signs of an infection. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, call us immediately or go to the emergency room for treatment.

If you develop a dry socket, let us know. This occurs when the blood clot breaks away and exposes the bone; although the condition is not dangerous, it can be extremely painful and slows the healing process. The most common sign of a dry socket is pain that worsens after a few days, rather than resolving. We’ll place a sedative dressing on the socket to ease the pain and encourage healing.

Although you’ll be able to return to your normal activities after a few days, it can take a week or two for the extraction site to completely heal. Once this has occurred, we’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss your options for replacing your missing tooth. This is important, because a tooth that is missing for too long can cause your remaining teeth to shift.