Downtown Dental
General Dentists located in Downtown, Rapid City, SD
While preserving your natural teeth is always the goal, sometimes tooth extractions are necessary. Michael Krump, DDS, and the team at Downtown Dental in Rapid City, South Dakota, regularly perform tooth extractions. Using numbing medication and special tools, damaged or decayed teeth or impacted wisdom teeth are removed to ensure your mouth remains healthy. To make an appointment, call the office or use the online scheduling tool today.
(605) 342-4882Tooth Extractions Q&A
What are tooth extractions?
Tooth extractions are common dental procedures in which the dentist removes one or more teeth. While our second set of teeth to emerge are called “permanent teeth,” they are not invincible and are affected by general wear-and-tear, tooth decay, and oral trauma.
Damaged teeth increase your risk of gum disease, tooth pain, and other dental complications.
If you have wisdom teeth that didn’t erupt, deep cavities, or other tooth conditions that affect the overall health of your mouth, the Downtown Dental team may recommend tooth extractions to reduce the risk of complications and improve your oral health.
How do I prepare for tooth extractions?
If Downtown Dental recommends tooth extractions, the dentist will first discuss your dental health history and conduct an oral exam.
During the consultation, the dentist needs to know if you take medication or supplements as certain drugs can interfere with the numbing medication or present surgical complications.
Your dentist also needs to know about any other medical conditions, including congenital heart defects or heart disease, high blood pressure, or kidney disease as they might increase the risk of surgical complications.
What are the risks of tooth extractions?
Tooth extractions are safe dental procedures but as with any medical procedure, they do present some risks. After having teeth removed, follow your dentist’s recovery instructions, including taking any prescribed medication, eating soft foods, avoiding straws, and brushing gently.
You may experience pain, bruising, or swelling after tooth extraction. You should schedule an appointment if the extraction area becomes infected or experiences continued bleeding, as you may require antibiotics for an infection.
About a week after having a tooth pulled, Downtown Dental conducts another exam and checks the extraction area. Most people return to their regular activities within a couple of days after tooth extraction.
How do I replace extracted teeth?
When you’re missing teeth, the other teeth may shift and move out of place. Having gaps in your smile make it difficult to bite, chew, or speak normally.
The team at Downtown Dental works with you to determine tooth replacement options after you have teeth extracted. You may decide to get partial dentures, dental implants, or crowns and bridges to restore your smile and replace missing teeth.
If you think you need a tooth extracted, call Downtown Dental or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment today.