Services
Treating Troublesome Teeth
Tooth extractions are always a last resort at your dentist in Reno. Dr. Dean will always explore every available option to save your tooth. When possible, your tooth is always more cost-effective and better for your oral health.
However, tooth extractions may be necessary if a tooth has been extensively damaged by gum disease, decay, infection, or oral trauma and cannot be saved. Wisdom teeth sometimes must be extracted if they are not growing into your mouth properly. If this is the case, Dr. Dean will provide expert extraction services to remove the tooth, relieve your pain, and prevent further complications. Contact us now for an appointment or stop by our office located at 620 Humboldt Street, Reno, NV 89509.
The extraction process itself will not cause any pain or discomfort. Dr. Dean will use a numbing needle to numb the area around the tooth that’s being extracted. We also offer pill-based oral conscious sedation. If you choose to be sedated, you will feel very groggy and may fall asleep during your appointment. You also may forget most of what happens during your procedure.
Treating Troublesome Teeth
In some cases, yes. Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, can cause pain, infection, and damage to adjacent teeth. However, not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. Your dentist will be able to determine if extraction is necessary.
Not necessarily. Some people may only have one or two wisdom teeth that need to be extracted, while others may need all four removed. Your dentist will make a recommendation based on your individual circumstances.
WHAT TO EXPECT
In some cases, tooth extraction can affect a person's speech. This is because the extraction can cause changes in the shape of the mouth or jaw, which can affect the way a person speaks. However, this is usually temporary and should resolve on its own as the mouth and jaw heal.
First, Dr. Dean will examine your mouth to determine if an extraction is necessary. She will discuss alternatives if it’s possible to save your tooth. However, if a tooth extraction is the best option, that is what she will recommend.
To prepare for a simple extraction, Dr. Dean will clean and disinfect your mouth and numb the treatment site. Once your mouth is totally numb, the extraction procedure will begin.
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Dr. Dean will use a variety of tools to loosen the connection between the tooth and your mouth. You may feel some pressure as she moves the tooth and prepares it for extraction, but you will not feel any pain. When the tooth is loosened sufficiently, she will grab it with a dental forceps and pull it out.
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As the final step, your extraction site will be cleaned and disinfected, and suture shut to heal. This process will be repeated if you require multiple tooth extractions. Otherwise, you’ll be sent home with recovery instructions to follow.
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After your appointment, you should go home, rest, and relax. We recommend taking a day or two off of work during your initial healing process, if possible.
We’ll give you a full set of instructions about what to eat, how to clean your mouth, and what to avoid while you heal. Follow them to the letter to recover more quickly.
Your mouth will feel mostly normal within about a week, but it will usally take up to 2-4 weeks for the extraction site to heal completely. You may need to schedule a follow-up with Dr. Dean to check your recovery progress.
Yes, it can happen although it is relatively rare. To prevent dry socket, it’s important to follow your dentist's instructions for post-operative care, including avoiding smoking or using straws, sticking to a soft food diet, and keeping the extraction site clean.
What To Expect At
A lot of people are nervous about having a tooth extracted, but there isn’t anything to get worked up about. We will take all precautions to make you as comfortable and as pain-free as possible.
The exact process of extraction depends on the type of extraction that’s needed. A simple extraction can be performed under a local anesthetic, which numbs your mouth, but you remain conscious during the procedure. The local anesthetic removes all pain sensation and sedation relieves dental anxiety to put you at ease.
We can, however, use additional sedation like oral conscious sedation. Wisdom teeth or other impacted teeth sometimes need to be removed surgically, which is often done under general anesthetic in a hospital, which means you will be unconscious and won’t feel or be aware of a thing. If any incisions were made into the socket, these will be sutured and then we will place gauze in your mouth for you to bite down on for 30 to 60 minutes to stop the bleeding. After the procedure, you’ll be placed in a recovery room while the general anesthesia wears off.
You will need to arrange for a ride to and from your appointment if you are receiving sedation like oral conscious sedation or general anesthesia because the side effects can linger for up to 24 hours and you will not be able to drive during this time.
After biting down on the gauze for about an hour, you’ll need to regularly change them with fresh gauze before they become soaked with blood. Bleeding usually continues for the first 24 hours. If bleeding persists, you can switch gauze for wet caffeinated tea bags which promote blood clotting.
Some pain and swelling are also normal. Take anti-inflammatory pain medication and keep your head elevated. Swelling will peak about 2 to 3 days following the tooth extraction, but you should apply a cold compress to the area for about 15 minutes on and off in the first 24 hours. This is the most crucial time to alleviate the swelling.
In the first 24 hours, you should avoid smoking, alcohol, all forms of suction, vigorously rinsing your mouth, exercise, and hot liquids. You should rest for the first few days and will need to eat a soft food-only diet for at least the first week. Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, and chewy foods.
After the first 24 hours, you can rinse your mouth with saltwater solutions a few times a day and brush and floss your teeth. It’s important to avoid dislodging the blood clot so chew on the other side of your mouth and don’t brush at the extraction site until it’s healed.
AFTERCARE
It’s recommended that you wait until the anesthesia has worn off before eating anything. You should then eat soft, cool, and nutritious foods such as soup, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies. Avoid hot, spicy, and crunchy foods, as well as alcohol and smoking. You should also avoid using a straw, as the suction could dislodge the blood clot and delay healing.
Preparing for a tooth extraction can feel nerve-wracking, but your dentist will provide you with detailed instructions to help you feel at ease. Depending on your individual needs, these instructions may include fasting for a certain period of time before the appointment and arranging for someone to drive you home afterward. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics or pain medication to take before the procedure to minimize any discomfort. Remember, following your dentist's instructions can help ensure a smoother and safer extraction experience.
BRUSHING AFTER YOUR EXTRACTION
You should avoid brushing the extraction site for the first day after the procedure. After that, you can gently brush the teeth near the extraction site, being careful not to disturb the blood clot. Your dentist may also recommend using a saltwater rinse or a prescription mouthwash to keep the extraction site clean and promote healing.
Yes, there are several options for replacing a missing tooth after extraction, including dental implants, bridges, and dentures. Your dentist can discuss the best options for your individual case.
A basic extraction is performed on teeth that are visible above the gum line. No incisions or surgical tools are necessary because we just need to loosen and pull the tooth.
A dental elevator will perform the loosening by rocking the tooth back and forth until the ligaments have been severed. Then, forceps are used to grab a firm hold of the tooth and remove it from the socket. No sutures are typically needed.
We sometimes perform surgical extractions for wisdom teeth when they are impacted. Surgical extractions are necessary for teeth that are impacted behind the gums and are not fully visible. An incision is made to reveal the tooth and the tooth is sectioned into smaller fragments. Then, it is loosened and removed the same way as a basic extraction. The gums are then sutured shut.
There’s no time like the present to get started on your journey to your best smile yet. We can’t wait to meet you, so be sure to get in touch today with your local dentist in Reno!
No. If you have any cosmetic dental treatments like dental crowns, veneers, or teeth that have been treated with dental bonding, they will not respond to your teeth whitening treatment.
Teeth whitening is ineffective in these situations because the materials used to create your cosmetic dental work don’t respond to chemical whiteners the same way that your enamel does. Because these materials are designed to be non-reactive, the whiteners won’t do anything to your dental work.
This is one reason why teeth whitening is often recommended before you get veneers, crowns, or other cosmetic dental treatments. If you whiten your teeth before your cosmetic treatment, your dental work can be matched to your bright smile, ensuring that your smile always looks its best.
However, if you already have cosmetic dental treatments like veneers, you can still get teeth whitening. Dr. Dean will simply adjust your treatment, using the shade of your dental work as a target to ensure that your natural teeth match the rest of your grin after the whitening procedure is complete. This will provide you with a more even, pleasing smile.
As long as your mouth is healthy and free of major chronic oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease, you are likely a good candidate for professional teeth whitening. However, if you do have serious problems with your dental health, these must be resolved before you can get teeth whitening or any other cosmetic dental treatment at Westside Dental Studio.
However, it is important to note that not all staining can be treated by teeth whitening. Internal stains and extremely severe stains may not be removable with chemical whiteners alone, and may require further treatment. Dental crowns and veneers are often used to cover up these teeth and restore your smile.
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