Tooth Extractions
Tooth Extractions
At Hills Dental Group, our ultimate goal is to save your teeth. But, in cases where extraction is unavoidable, you’re in safe hands with our gentle, skilled dentists.
General tooth extraction involves a dentist carefully removing either an adult or a baby tooth.
Tooth extraction is usually a last resort when all other treatment options have been exhausted. Reasons our dentists may recommend removal may include:
- Severe decay that is untreatable
- Extensive damage to your tooth or the surrounding bone as a result of infection
- A trauma injury to your tooth
- Impacted tooth/teeth (usually related to wisdom teeth)
- Overcrowding of teeth resulting in dental problems
- Part of an orthodontic treatment plan
If a tooth that is impacted, damaged or decayed remains in your mouth it can eventually damage your surrounding teeth as well as your gums and bone. Extraction has its place in preventative dentistry and can, in instances, help you maintain good oral health.
Having A Tooth Extracted
Our dentists will do a thorough assessment of your mouth and teeth before recommending you have a tooth removed. Our Adelaide Hills dental practice is equipped with the latest in dental technology. This means we can accurately access the size, shape and position of your tooth as well as the bone surrounding it.
Whether you need one or a few teeth extracted, we can treat you in our comfortable treatment rooms. We can also refer you for treatment in hospital by an oral surgeon if need be.
Our dental team understands that having a tooth extracted may make some patients anxious. It’s our priority to ensure you feel as comfortable as possible at all times. If you suffer from dental-related anxiety or are having multiple teeth removed, we can also offer sleep dentistry.
Before removing your tooth, your dentist will use a local anaesthetic to numb the area. They will then gently loosen the tooth before carefully extracting it. You will be given a piece of gauze which you should continue to bite down onto for the time recommended to you by your dentist. This encourages the healing process.
Your dentist will make sure you have all the information you need for a successful recovery. Generally, for the first 24 hours post-extraction, you should avoid exercise, chewing hard foods, smoking, toothbrushing the area or vigorously rinsing out your mouth.
Replacing Missing Teeth
When a child loses a tooth, a permanent tooth will usually grow into its place in time. However, when an adult tooth needs extraction, there is no successor, meaning a gap remains.
At Hills Dental Group, we know that living with missing teeth can be challenging. Our experienced dentists can offer you various permanent, functioning and natural-looking solutions for missing teeth. These options include:
- Bridges
- Dentures
- Dental Implants
