What Is A Dental Extraction?
A dental extraction, commonly known as getting a tooth pulled, is one of the most common procedures performed at a dentist’s office. At Park View Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in NYC, we take a preventative approach to dental care, through which we strive to prevent the onset, progress, and recurrence of dental problems that might require pediatric tooth extractions. While our board-certified dentists will always make an effort to treat your child’s condition and avoid pediatric tooth extraction, this is not always possible.
Dental Extractions And Sedation Dentistry
When pediatric tooth extraction is unavoidable, our practice offers various sedation dentistry options to make the procedure as stress-free and painless as possible. This is especially helpful for children who are unable to cope with the delivery of dental care, who have a high level of dental anxiety, or who have special needs.
Park View Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics is pleased to provide StemSave™, a technology that gives families the opportunity to collect and preserve the valuable stem cells that are contained within baby teeth, wisdom teeth, and permanent teeth at the time of planned dental extractions.
Learn more about our pediatric dental extraction procedure below, or schedule an appointment today.
When Is Tooth Extraction Needed For Children
Tooth removal in children is often performed to:
- Relieve a broken tooth
- Treat significant tooth decay/cavities
- Remove wisdom teeth that are causing overcrowding in the mouth
The Pediatric Tooth Extraction Procedure
Once our dentists have determined that dental extraction is necessary, we will perform a digital X-ray examination in order to further evaluate the tooth.
Before the pediatric tooth extraction procedure, a child will receive local anesthesia in order to numb the affected tooth and area around the tooth. We offer single tooth anesthesia technology, which provides a number of advantages for our pediatric patients. In addition, sedation dentistry options may also be administered, depending on a patient’s needs.
Once completely numbed and prepared, our pediatric dentists will begin the extraction procedure, which involves rocking the tooth back and forth to ease it out of its socket for simple removal. Stubborn teeth may need to be removed in sections.
How to Prepare My Child for a Tooth Extraction?
The best piece of advice that pediatric dentists have for parents preparing children for any dental procedure is to be up-front. If your child needs to have a tooth extracted, it is important for you to know why, to agree with the procedure, and to demonstrate confidence to your child. Understand that your child will naturally feel anxious about having a dental procedure, and discuss their fears openly. It is imperative that a child not be "fooled" into their dental appointments. Springing an unexpected procedure or dental appointment on a child sets them up to distrust the dentist, which could harm them throughout their life in the form of dental anxiety. If you have questions about your child's tooth extraction, please do not hesitate to contact us for supportive tips.
Our office is staffed by experienced, board-certified sedation dentists and anesthesiologists who work to prevent unnecessary stress and trauma during dental visits. Our team can help you determine how to discuss the use of dental sedation with your child so that they can feel informed and empowered for their necessary treatment.
How Long Will the Pain of a Tooth Extraction Last for My Child?
The discomfort that can occur after tooth extraction may last no more than a day or two in most cases. During this time, you can alleviate soreness and tenderness by administering over-the-counter pain-relieving medication to your child as directed. You may administer medication via the dosing schedule rather than waiting for your child to express discomfort. By following the dosing schedule on the product label, you can prevent unnecessary discomfort during the healing stage of treatment.
Can My Child go to Class After a Tooth Extraction?
This may depend on your child's age as well as their pain tolerance. In most cases, a child will feel more comfortable going home to recover from their tooth extraction. They may feel well enough to go to school the following day but should do so with appropriate pain-relieving medication and soft, nourishing foods. In some cases, it may be ideal to schedule tooth extraction for a child before the weekend. Doing so allows them to rest comfortably at home and take medication easily as needed to prevent unnecessary pain.
When Will My Child be an Ideal Candidate for a Tooth Extraction?
Your dentist is concerned with your child's long-term oral health and comfort. Tooth extractions are typically reserved for specific cases such as irreparable tooth damage or the preparation for orthodontic care. If your child cannot be helped through treatment like root canal therapy, your dentist may recommend pulling the decayed tooth. If your child is experiencing severe overcrowding, extracting a few teeth may enable permanent teeth to grow in more aligned.
What Type of Diet Will My Child Need While Recovering from a Tooth Extraction?
You may receive detailed aftercare instructions before your child's tooth extraction procedure. Generally, we recommend that patients who have one or more teeth extracted stick to a soft-food diet for at least a few days. It will be important to talk to your child about the sensations they feel as they eat, or possibly to look for signs of discomfort. For at least two to three days, children can benefit from eating soup, soft cooked vegetables, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and nourishing smoothies that provide adequate nutrients for tissue repair. After a few days, it may be comfortable to add in very soft meats or proteins, pasta, rice, and boiled eggs. By about one week post-treatment, your child should be back to their normal diet.
Is Tooth Extraction Dangerous?
The dental extraction procedure is safe for most patients and does not involve any major complications.
What To Expect During Tooth Extraction Recovery
After the pediatric tooth extraction, patients will likely experience a certain amount of discomfort. This can be relieved by applying ice to the area and taking antibiotics or painkillers if needed. Patients will be advised to avoid certain foods for a few days and should feel completely better within one to two weeks.
Schedule A Consultation
If you need to schedule a visit for your child or want to learn more about pediatric tooth extraction, call our office at 212-879-6518 or request an appointment at Park View Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics by filling out the form on this page.