Good oral hygiene is a must.

The loss of a single tooth can have a major impact on your overall oral health and appearance. Although dentists will use every measure to prevent tooth loss, there are still some occasions when a tooth needs to be extracted.

A tooth may need to be extracted if the following occurs:

• Severe decay
• Advanced gum disease
• Infection or abscess
• Orthodontic correction
• Malpositioned teeth
• Fractured teeth or roots
• Impacted teeth

Our dentists may suggest an extraction after careful examination and treatment—usually taking x-rays to understand the tooth's shape, position and surrounding bone before extracting the tooth. Based on the degree of difficulty, we may refer you to an oral surgeon.

A certain amount of pain is to be expected following an extraction, but it can be minimized with ibuprofen or acetaminophen and ice packs applied to the face for 15 minutes at a time. Discomfort should lessen within three days to two weeks.

If you experience prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding or fever, call our office immediately.