Tooth Extractions
Just because teeth are made to last you a lifetime doesn’t mean that they always do. Decay and infection could put a tooth in jeopardy, and dental trauma and crowding could necessitate tooth removal before more damage is done. We know that a tooth extraction, sometimes more casually called “getting a tooth pulled,” can seem pretty intimidating to patients.
At Las Cruces Dental Solutions, we only recommend teeth extractions when we’ve considered all other restorative treatments first and know for sure that it’s the best option left to preserve your oral health.
Before we do anything, we’ll make sure that you are comfortable. We’ll use a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area, and we can also offer you the option of sedation dentistry to alleviate any anxiety you might feel. During the procedure you might feel a little bit of pressure but it should not be painful. Our dentist will remove the tooth with either a simple extraction or a surgical extraction depending on your situation. The latter is often done for more complex cases. After the tooth has been pulled we’ll have you bite down on some gauze to stop any bleeding. Depending on the case, we may also use stitches to close the extraction area.
“I was very nervous about having my molar pulled, but could no longer endure the pain. Once I talked to Dr P. he put my mind at ease and gave me several compatible options. The staff were kind and professional. I HIGHLY recommend dental solutions for absolute professional dental care. I have very sensitive teeth and gums, but their suggestions and care routine eliminated most of my discomfort.”
— Janice W.
It’s common to experience some discomfort after a tooth extraction. You can take ibuprofen to help manage pain, and you can hold an ice pack to your face if you experience any swelling. For the next few days for your procedure, stick to soft foods (think pudding, yogurt, etc.). Don’t use a straw or smoke in the days immediately following your surgery because it could interrupt the healing process.
Don’t worry about memorizing all the aftercare steps right now. If you are visiting Las Cruces Dental Solutions for a tooth removal, we’ll give you a set of instructions to follow after your appointment to help you recover quickly.
After a dental extraction, you’ll want to be careful with the area where the tooth was by eating soft foods for at least a week. You will want to avoid particularly hard, crunchy, or sticky foods and instead opt for things like oatmeal, soup, applesauce, mashed potatoes, and smoothies. It’s also very important to avoid using a straw until the area has healed, otherwise the suction created in the mouth when using a straw can cause a painful complication called a dry socket.
Yes! Las Cruces Dental Solutions offers a number of relaxing sedation options that patients are more than welcome to utilize, whether it be for a tooth extraction or even a routine appointment. Before your dental extraction procedure begins, we will numb the area surrounding the tooth with a local anesthetic, so it will be a painless procedure even if you choose not to utilize dental sedation.
Many insurance plans will cover at least part of the cost of a dental extraction, as it is considered a necessary procedure. Las Cruces Dental Solutions accepts many popular insurance plans, and we take third-party payment plans through CareCredit® as well. CareCredit allows patients to take upfront dental costs and split them into more feasible monthly payments. If you don’t have insurance, we also have an in-house membership plan that offers a 20% discount on restorative procedures. For more information, please contact our front office team.
It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious about a tooth extraction, but you can rest assured that our team will do everything we can to make your tooth extraction procedure as easy and comfortable as possible. We always apply a local anesthetic around the tooth to completely numb the area, so while you may feel some pressure, you will not feel any pain during your treatment. It’s normal to feel a little soreness around the area after the numbness has worn off, but it shouldn’t be anything that prescription or over-the-counter pain medication can’t take care of.
It can be tempting to put off scheduling a wisdom tooth removal, but wisdom teeth that have grown in incorrectly can cause problems if they aren’t extracted soon enough. This is why wisdom teeth removal is usually recommended for patients in their late teens and early twenties because the wisdom teeth are usually just starting to protrude through the gums. This age range is ideal for wisdom teeth removal, but older patients can have their wisdom teeth removed as well, especially if they are causing problems.
Wisdom teeth can cause damage to other teeth and their alignment if they are allowed to grow in sideways or too close to the other teeth. They can also cause:
We look forward to meeting you. Please Call (575) 527-4746 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
2001 E. Lohman Ave STE 121 • Las Cruces, NM 88001
