Extractions Fairhope, AL Dentist

There are many reasons that a tooth may need to be extracted. Sometimes a tooth is too damaged to repair with a filling or crown. There may be extra teeth that cause crowding, the tooth may have too much decay to fill with a filling, or the tooth may be too infected to save. Whatever the case may be, Dr. Phillip Greer, your Fairhope, AL dentist, is here to help!

There are two types of dental extractions: surgical and simple.

During a simple extraction, Dr. Greer will use an instrument called an elevator to loosen the gums around the tooth. He will then use dental forceps to clamp onto and simply remove the tooth.

During a surgical extraction, Dr. Greer may have to make a small incision and/or cut the tooth in half and remove it piece by piece.

During either type of extraction, you will feel pressure but SHOULD NOT feel any pain.

Dr. Greer will give you instructions for care and what to do after your extraction.

These instructions must be followed to prevent dry sockets.

A dry socket occurs when a blood clot doesn’t form, or the blood clot breaks off too early. In a dry socket, the bone underneath your gums is exposed to food and air, and this can cause a lot of pain. A dry socket is more likely to occur after difficult extractions.

Smoking, especially on the day of surgery, further increases the risk of getting a dry socket. If you develop a dry socket, contact your dentist so that the area can be treated with a medicated dressing to stop the pain.

If you would like more information, please contact us at SweetWater Dentistry!