If you are experiencing pain or other problems with your teeth or gums, who you gonna call? The answer is almost always your dentist. Your dentist can thoroughly examine your mouth, evaluate your condition, and recommend the best course of treatment. Sometimes, the best or only treatment option may involve a tooth extraction. At that juncture, the question becomes one of who will be performing the procedure: your dentist or an oral surgeon.
Most dentists, including here at Assure a Smile, can perform tooth extractions when needed. That said, there are times when the particular problem causing the need for an extraction or other features of a patient’s condition may warrant the involvement of an oral surgeon.
Reasons for Tooth Extractions
A tooth extraction may be the best course of treatment in a number of situations:
- decay or infection has progressed to the point where fillings or root canals won’t address the problem and extracting the tooth may be the only way to prevent infection from spreading.
- Periodontal disease may have loosened a tooth to the extent where extraction is advisable.
- In preparation for orthodontia, teeth which are too big for the mouth may need to be extracted.
- Wisdom teeth may need to be removed if there is no space for them in the mouth, or if they become impacted or infected.
When is an Oral Surgeon Recommended for a Tooth Extraction?
If your dentist concludes that you are in need of a tooth extraction, he or she may refer you to an oral surgeon rather than performing the procedure themselves because:
- Severely impacted tooth. If the problem is an impacted tooth or that tooth is fully below the gum line, extraction becomes more involved and, yes, potentially more painful. In such cases, general anesthesia may be necessary as the surgeon will need to cut into the mouth to perform the extraction.
- Challenging facial structure. Sometimes, the features of a patient’s face or jaws, such as large sinuses or limited jaw mobility, can make it difficult for dentists to maneuver safely and effectively inside the mouth to extract a tooth.
- Fractured or cracked teeth. If the tooth at issue is already fractured or cracked, it can create complications during the extraction process if the tooth breaks even further.
- Severe dental anxiety. Let’s face it, nobody looks forward to a tooth extraction. But for some people, the thought of being awake during a tooth extraction, even with local anesthesia keeping the pain mostly at bay, is too much to bear. This fear could even keep someone from seeing their dentist in the first place, causing a bad situation to get worse. When full anesthesia is required, an oral surgeon should be the professional performing the operation.
At Assure a Smile, we have relationships with outstanding oral surgeons in the area who we refer patients to with the utmost confidence when we conclude that an oral surgeon should be consulted regarding your treatment.
Assure A Smile: Miami Holistic Dentistry
When tooth extractions, filling replacements, or other dental procedures are necessary, our expert staff, pleasant office environment, and advanced technologies make the patient experience as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
To learn more about our practice or to schedule an appointment, please contact us today at 305-274-0047.
