How to Prepare for a Tooth Extraction

Thinking about having your teeth extracted can make you nervous or frightened. Tooth extraction is a simple procedure that our skilled dentist at Reading Pediatric Dentistry in West Jordan, UT, does only when it is the best option for your child's dental health.

What Is Tooth Extraction?

The removal of teeth from the tooth socket in the alveolar bone is known as dental extraction. Extractions are performed for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is to remove teeth that have become irreversible owing to dental decay, periodontal disease, or oral trauma, particularly if they are accompanied by toothache. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause recurring gum infections and may need to be extracted if previous conservative treatments have failed.

What Is the Procedure for a Tooth Extraction?

Simple Extraction

The extraction of a visible tooth in your child's mouth is referred to as a simple extraction. The dentist will numb the tooth and gum tissue before extracting the tooth with an elevator and extracting it with dental forceps during a basic extraction.

Surgical Extraction

A surgical extraction is a more complex procedure that is used to remove a tooth that has broken off at the gum line or has not yet entered the mouth. The dentist will make a little incision in your child's gum and remove the underlying tooth during a surgical extraction.

What Should You Do Before Having Your Child's Teeth Removed?

Inform Their Medical History

Before having a tooth pulled, you should discuss their medical history with the dentist. This way, we can ensure that any issues that may arise during their treatment are addressed and that your child receive the best care possible.

Medication for Anesthesia and Pain

They will be sedated during the dental extraction to ensure their comfort. 

Avoid Eating Before Surgery

Your child should not eat or drink anything for 12 hours before the surgery. This will help to reduce nausea during and after the surgery. You should also contact the dentist if your child has a medical condition, like diabetes, and refrain from biting on the extraction site for a few days after the procedure.

For more on the convenient and painless tooth extraction services we offer to patients in West Jordan, UT, contact Reading Pediatric Dentistry. You can reach us at (801) 282-6901 or 3895 W 7800 S #203, West Jordan, UT 84088.