Tooth Extractions In Greenpoint

At Greenpoint Pediatric Dentistry, we believe in a conservative approach to dentistry, and tooth extractions are always our last resort. However, if no other treatment can be used by Dr. John or Dr. Jones to restore a damaged tooth, extracting your child’s tooth may be the best option. Learn more about pediatric tooth extractions below, or contact us for an appointment now.

Why Would My Child Need An Extraction?

There are a few situations when your child may need a tooth extraction. The most common is that you have an older teenager, and their wisdom teeth are growing in. The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars, and usually come in between 17-25, but can appear as early as 15, in some cases.

Most people do not have enough room for another set of molars in their mouths. This is particularly true of teenagers who have had orthodontic work done. The wisdom teeth may erupt improperly or even damage the surrounding teeth if they do not fit properly, so they are often extracted to prevent this.

Tooth extractions are also required if your child has a severely damaged tooth that cannot be saved with dental treatments like a root canal and dental crown. Removing the tooth will eliminate your child’s pain and discomfort, and prevent further complications. Then, it can be replaced with a space maintainer (baby teeth) or a false tooth like a dental implant (adult teeth).

In some cases, tooth extractions may also be used to make room in your child’s mouth during orthodontic treatment. For example, if your child has a narrow palate and their teeth are very crowded, one or more teeth may be removed during the orthodontic treatment process to make more room in their mouth.

Understanding The Extraction Process

The process of “simple” or “basic” extraction is, as the name suggests, very easy to understand. To begin, we’ll clean and numb your child’s mouth, and administer sedation, if necessary. We offer a variety of sedation options that may be appropriate depending on your child’s individual level of anxiety, ranging from laughing gas (nitrous oxide) to general anesthesia. 

Once your child’s mouth is clean and their mouth is sufficiently numb, Dr. John or Dr. Jones will use special dental tools to begin wiggling the tooth in its socket, loosening it to prepare for extraction. Once the tooth is loose, Dr. Jones or Dr. John will grasp it tightly using dental forceps and pull it out of the socket. 

After the tooth has been removed, the area will be cleaned and sanitized to eliminate bacteria, and sutured shut to heal. The process can be repeated if multiple teeth need to be extracted from your child’s mouth. 

Recovering After A Tooth Extraction

To avoid complications and speed up the healing process, you will need to ensure your child follows all of the instructions provided to you by the team at Greenpoint Pediatric Dentistry. They need to brush gently near the extraction site and avoid brushing it directly, avoid heavy exertion for 2-3 days, eat a diet of mostly soft foods for up to a week, and avoid spitting forcefully or using a straw for at least 1-2 days. You can refer to the instructions provided to you at our office for more information.