Tooth Extractions – Garland, TX

Saving Young Smiles for Better Oral Health

Girl smiling after tooth extraction in Garland

A child’s smile deserves exceptional oral healthcare to ensure a brighter future. This is why regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings are essential. However, when an accident occurs or severe decay is left untreated, it can result in a more complex treatment that requires the removal of one or more teeth. Tooth extractions are not likely to be our first option, but Dr. Lily and her team will evaluate the situation to determine if it is the best course of action to prevent further damage to the rest of your child’s smile. Call us today to learn more about this important method of treatment.

Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary

If you’re worried that we will just simply recommend tooth extraction no matter the situation, you can rest easy knowing that we do not take this decision lightly. Instead, we survey the severity of the damage or decay and base our choice on how it might impact the rest of your child’s smile if left in place.

Should we discover that there are signs of any of the following, we will recommend tooth removal for the safety and future of your child’s oral health:

They have extensive decay that is putting nearby healthy teeth at risk.
They have sustained significant damage to a particular tooth that cannot be saved with root canal treatment or a dental crown.
They have a baby tooth that will not fall out on its own but needs to be removed for the permanent one to push through.
They require orthodontics to address overcrowding but need ample space to allow the teeth to shift.

The Process of Removing a Tooth

Dr. Lily and her team will look to see what kind of tooth removal procedure is necessary. In most cases, children have partially erupted teeth, which means they can typically be removed without surgical intervention.

We’ll administer local anesthesia to numb their mouth before using age-appropriate dental instruments to elevate the tooth from the socket and gently move it back and forth. This continuous motion will encourage the tooth to detach from the underlying ligaments.

If for some reason the tooth that must be removed is beneath the gumline (impacted), surgical extraction will be required. This involves opening the gum tissue to access the tooth beneath the gums. To avoid damaging the bone, we will likely have it removed in pieces for a smoother and less stressful procedure.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare

Once you bring your child home to recover, it’s important that you make sure all necessary instructions are followed. These include:

Helping your child get ample rest once they return home. It’s best if they lay on an elevated pillow so that it prevents blood from rushing to their head.
Keeping clean gauze on the wound to minimize bleeding, which should reduce significantly in a short amount of time.
Keeping them from spitting, sucking, or using a straw for the first 24 hours, as this can cause the blood clot to dislodge, resulting in a painful dry socket.
Using an over-the-counter pain reliever to alleviate discomfort. A cold compress can also be used for the same reason in addition to reducing swelling.
Limiting what they eat, having them only consume liquids for the first few days. They can then begin to incorporate soft foods that do not require biting down or chewing.