Tooth Extraction – Duncanville, TX
Ensuring Your Child’s Comfort Throughout Treatment
The dentists at Barefield Pediatric Dentistry rarely consider tooth extraction to be their first treatment consideration when your child is dealing with severe tooth decay, an oral injury, or other problematic situation regarding their teeth. Even if a tooth does need to be removed, we take every step necessary to make them feel comfortable, keep them at ease, and ensure a speedy recovery immediately afterwards. After all, our pediatric dentists are experts when it comes to helping children complete the care they need. Call our office if you need a dentist who will take the time to ensure your child’s comfort, no matter what.
When is an Extraction Needed?
Tooth extraction is typically needed when a tooth has sustained so much damage that it can no longer survive inside the jaw. For example, if your child’s tooth has severe decay, it’s possible that no restoration or amount of therapy can restore it. Furthermore, if your child was playing a contact sport without a mouthguard and their tooth became severely cracked, it may not be viable if the crack extends below the gum line. Additionally, if a baby tooth is not falling out properly and a permanent tooth is erupting, we can remove the baby tooth to make room. No matter what the circumstance, we’ll make sure that you know exactly why treatment is necessary and make your child feel comfortable from start to finish.
What Does Treatment Entail?
Before we get started, we administer a local anesthetic to the tooth and the surrounding area to ensure no feeling is present before extraction. If your child requires sedation in order to get comfortable, we offer all levels of sedation dentistry, including sedation only found in hospitals for those with special needs or extreme dental anxiety. Most children note that because of the local anesthetics, they hardly feel a thing during the majority of treatment. After gently rocking the tooth back and forth, one of our caring dentists will remove the tooth, then ask your child to bite down onto a gauze pad so the socket can properly begin healing.
What Does Aftercare Look Like?
The socket typically takes about three to four days to heal. During this time, swelling may also be present, but this should begin to go away after the fifth day of healing. After about two weeks, you’ll come back to our office so we can confirm that healing is occurring properly.
To speed up the healing process and avoid complications, make sure to:
- Protect the open socket
- Avoid disturbing the blood clot
- Advise them to avoid rinsing their mouth out for the next 24 hours
- Advise them to avoid drinking through a straw for the next 24 hours
- Gently rinse their mouth out with a saltwater mixture to promote healing on the second day after treatment
- Gently brush their teeth on the third day, making sure they do not spit vigorously
- Keep to a soft diet and avoid chewing on the side of the mouth where the extraction site is located