Fairhope Tooth Extractions

Gentle

Tooth Extractions at Living Oaks

At Living Oaks Dental, Dr. Brabston offers gentle tooth extractions in Fairhope, and at our office, we will ensure that you get the treatment you need with minimal discomfort. We use the latest extraction tools and techniques, and we’ll only suggest removing a tooth if it is absolutely necessary. We focus on conservative care at our office, so you can trust that we’ll only suggest treatments that will benefit your oral health.

Know

When Extractions Are Necessary

By far, the most common reason that patients require a tooth extraction is due to the improper growth of wisdom teeth. However, there are some other reasons that an extraction may be necessary. Some orthodontic treatments may require the removal of several teeth. Sometimes, teeth must be extracted to prepare for the placement of dental implants, dental bridges, or dentures. If tooth decay or gum disease has damaged a tooth beyond repair, this is also a reason we will suggest removal.

Efficient

Wisdom Tooth Extractions

At Living Oaks Dental, we specialize in wisdom tooth extractions. The wisdom teeth are our rear-most set of molars, which usually start to erupt between the ages of 18-25. By this age, most of us don’t have enough room in our mouths to accommodate wisdom teeth properly.

Because of this lack of space, third molars may not erupt at all, or they may start growing in sideways and pushing into other teeth, crowding them, and causing a shift in the alignment of your teeth. Improperly-growing wisdom teeth can cause a variety of other issues including infections and pain, so most patients opt to have them removed once they start growing in.

Keeping

Your Blood Clot Intact After Recovery

When it comes to recovering after your tooth extraction, one of the most important things you can do is take steps to keep the newly-formed keep blood clot in your tooth socket intact. Not only does this blood clot prevent bleeding, but it also forms the basic structure around which new gum and bone tissue will form to heal the extraction site.

If it is dislodged or damaged, this can impair healing and cause “dry socket,” which is extremely painful, delays healing, and could even lead to the infection of the implant site. To keep your blood clot intact, you must:

• Avoid smoking for AT LEAST 1 week after extraction. Ideally, cease smoking altogether
• Avoid touching the extraction site with your tongue or fingers
• Avoid drinking liquids through a straw or spitting forcefully for at least 24 hours. This can dislodge the clot
• Try to avoid sneezing or coughing forcefully for 24 hours, if possible
• Eat soft foods and avoid hard foods (nuts, chips, etc.) that could get stuck in the extraction site and damage the blood clot
• Do not rinse your mouth for 24 hours after the procedure. After 24 hours, you can gently rinse your mouth with a warm saltwater solution. Again, avoid forceful spitting after rinsing your mouth

Eating

After Your Tooth Extraction

For the first few days after your oral surgery, it’s best to eat soft foods. These are easier to eat with a sore mouth, and will not damage the blood clot or extraction site. We recommend eating soft foods like soup, pudding, yogurt, applesauce, and smoothies. 

After 3-4 days, you may be able to start incorporating harder foods into your diet, depending on how quickly your mouth is healing. However, you may find it easier to continue eating a diet of mostly soft foods for up to a week or more.

Cleaning

Your Teeth Post-Extraction

You should avoid cleaning or brushing your teeth for 24 hours after your extraction. Then, you can resume your normal oral hygiene routine. However, avoid brushing or touching the extraction site. You can rinse your mouth with warm saltwater 4 times a day to gently clean out the extraction site.

Once your stitches have been removed or have dissolved, it’s usually safe to start cleaning the extraction site. You can brush it gently with your toothbrush to remove food particles and keep it clean. Use a soft-bristled brush to minimize discomfort. 

The Importance Of

Post-Op Instructions

The above tips are helpful, but are not a substitute for following Dr. Brabston’s instructions after your tooth has been extracted. After your appointment at our office in Fairhope, Dr. Brabston will give you a detailed set of instructions for your recovery process, and it’s important that you follow all of them to avoid complications like dry socket. Remember, if you ever have a question or an issue during the recovery process, you can contact us and get help from Dr. Brabston and the team at Living Oaks Dental.

Understand

What To Expect

The process of a basic extraction usually takes only about 5 minutes per tooth. First, you’ll be given a sedative pill, if you choose to be sedated during your treatment. Then, Dr. Brabston will begin by cleaning your mouth and numbing the treatment area. Next, he will loosen the tooth in its socket and remove the tooth by its root. After this, the area will be cleaned and disinfected, then sutured shut. If one of your teeth is impacted (driven back into the socket), a surgical extraction may be necessary. In this case, Dr. Brabston will make a small incision in the gum, then remove the tooth.