At Trinity Pediatric Dentistry, we do everything within our power to preserve a child’s natural smile because, in an ideal world, teeth would last a lifetime. However, that’s often not how it goes. In some cases, like those involving extensive dental damage and severe decay, we may need to extract a tooth to preserve the surrounding ones. Luckily, our team can perform safe tooth extractions in our pediatric dental office in Fort Worth. For wisdom teeth, we can refer you to a specialist who will take wonderful care of your little one. Contact us today to learn more!
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
If we can safely and effectively reverse any dental damage or salvage a tooth, we’ll always choose that over an extraction. We want your child to enjoy a full set of pearly whites no matter what! However, in cases where we feel a dental problem or tooth threatens the health of others, we may recommend an extraction. Here are some situations in which this may occur:
- Gum disease has eroded the supportive hard and soft tissues surrounding a tooth, making it loose.
- A tooth is severely decayed and cannot be repaired with a tooth-colored filling or crown.
- An infected tooth cannot be treated with root canal therapy.
- Your child is in severe pain because of a damaged tooth that isn’t repairable.
The Process of Removing a Tooth
Hearing that your child needs a tooth extraction might sound a little scary – but don’t worry! We make the process gentle, safe, and as stress-free as possible. Removing a tooth is sometimes necessary to help your child’s smile stay healthy, especially if a baby tooth is stuck or a permanent tooth needs room to come in.
If the tooth is fully visible above the gums, a simple extraction is all that’s needed. Dr. Thorburn will make sure your child’s mouth is completely numb so they won’t feel a thing. Then, she’ll gently wiggle the tooth with dental forceps until it slips out.
If the tooth is stuck below the gums or hasn’t fully come in, a surgical extraction may be needed. Dr. Thorburn will make a tiny opening in the gums to reach the tooth, then carefully remove it using the same gentle tools. Your child will still be completely numb and comfortable during the whole procedure.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
After the tooth is removed, we’ll provide easy instructions to help your child heal quickly and feel great again. Following these tips will make the recovery smoother:
- Give any prescribed medication exactly as directed to keep your child comfortable.
- Help them brush and floss gently around the area to keep it clean.
- After the first day, rinse with warm salt water to help the spot heal.
- Make sure they drink lots of water and get plenty of rest.
- Use a cold pack on the cheek to reduce swelling or soreness.
- Remind them not to use a straw as it can slow down healing.
- Stick to soft foods like yogurt, applesauce, and mashed potatoes for the first few days. Avoid anything hard, sticky, or spicy.