Tooth Extractions

Atglen Family Dentistry: Offering Gentle Tooth Extractions in Lancaster County

Tooth extraction may seem like a daunting procedure, but at Atglen Family Dentistry, we regularly perform quick and painless tooth extractions in Lancaster County. We can remove your affected tooth while maintaining—and potentially even improving—your smile.

Are you experiencing severe tooth pain or think you need a tooth removed? Not to worry—call Atglen Family Dentistry at 610-593-2818 to schedule a consultation.

What Makes Tooth Extraction Necessary?

Prolonged tooth decay, severe gum disease, or trauma to a tooth can make extraction necessary. At Atglen Family Dentistry, we always attempt to preserve a tooth by doing procedures such as cavity-filling and root canal treatment. However, sometimes the decay or trauma is too extensive, leaving tooth removal as the only option.

Wisdom teeth also make tooth extraction necessary from time to time. For many people, their emerging wisdom teeth push against other teeth and overcrowd the mouth, causing pain and discomfort. In those cases, we extract the wisdom teeth.

How Do I Know If I Need Tooth Extraction?

 These are the typical symptoms of a tooth that may need extraction:

  • Severe tooth or gum pain
  • Loose or wiggling tooth
  • Overcrowding in the mouth (primarily caused by wisdom teeth)
  • Trauma to the tooth, such as a broken tooth

What Is the Procedure for a Tooth Extraction?

Before the procedure, our staff will take X-rays of all your teeth to determine how we’ll remove the affected tooth. X-rays also help us determine how the tooth’s extraction will impact the rest of your smile.

Before your extraction, we give you sedation that may include local anesthetic, laughing gas, or IV sedation, depending on the procedure. Either way, we provide you with a completely relaxing environment while you undergo your extraction.

The specific extraction procedure depends on the underlying condition. A simple extraction involves loosening the tooth with an elevator tool and removing it with forceps. In other cases, tooth extraction may require oral surgery, especially if the affected tooth has become impacted in the gums (as often happens with wisdom teeth). When performing oral surgery, we make tiny incisions into the gum to remove the impacted tooth.

Are There Any Risks Associated with Tooth Extraction?

Thanks to advances in dental technology, the risks of tooth extraction are minimal and highly preventable. Furthermore, we carefully monitor our patients post-extraction for any complications.

The risks of tooth extraction include:

  • Infection or abscess at the extraction site, which may cause bleeding, throbbing, and pus formation
  • Gum bruising or swelling at the extraction site
  • Dry socket, a condition where a blood clot fails to form correctly in the extracted tooth’s socket and exposes the bone. Dry socket is the most common complication after tooth extraction.

Should any of these conditions develop, we offer antibiotics and anesthetic treatments to help you cope with them.

What Happens after Tooth Extraction?

Wisdom teeth removal causes little to no effect on your bite and smile since wisdom teeth form at the very back of the mouth. If you’re getting another type of tooth extracted, though, we strongly recommend replacing that tooth. A missing tooth causes other teeth to drift, which can eventually affect your ability to chew, speak, and smile.

We offer a range of teeth replacement options at varying price points, including:

  • Dental implants: When installing a dental implant, we replace the tooth’s roots with screws during a surgical procedure, then attach an artificial tooth to the screws. A dental implant offers the most realistic-looking tooth replacement.
  • Dental bridges: Dental bridges are artificial teeth held in place by crowns on either side of the tooth gap.
  • Flipper teeth: A flipper tooth is usually a temporary replacement that is part of a removable retainer. A flipper tooth is our most cost-effective prosthetic.

There are many ways to remedy an extracted tooth, and every patient’s post-extraction dental care is different. We personalize your treatment by using tooth replacements custom-built to your mouth. Whatever replacement method we choose, we’re devoted to preserving your oral health (and your smile!).

What If I Need an Emergency Tooth Extraction?

At Atglen Family Dental, our woman-owned and operated clinic offers 24/7 tooth extraction and other dental emergency services in Lancaster County. We understand that tooth trauma and pain can develop quickly and badly disrupt daily activities.

Rest assured that tooth extraction doesn’t have to be scary. Reach out to our friendly team at 610-593-2818 to learn about your best options for tooth extraction. Tooth extractions in Lancaster County have never been easier or gentler than at Atglen Family Dentistry!