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Although our goal is to help you keep all your teeth, dental extractions in Santa Maria are sometimes necessary. Your Santa Barbara Family Dentistry team has the knowledge and experience to know when a tooth needs an extraction versus attempting to save the tooth, and we provide safe extractions for our patients when they are needed.

Why Do I Need Dental
Extractions in Santa Maria?

Why Do I Need Dental
Extractions in Santa Maria?

If a tooth is damaged, your dentist will evaluate whether it’s viable or not. A tooth that can be saved often requires treatment like root canal therapy, a build-up, and a crown.

Sometimes, though, the damage is too extensive, and the tooth needs to come out.

In some cases, the tooth itself may be healthy, but how it’s positioned in the jawbone adversely impacts the patient’s oral health. When this happens, we might recommend orthodontic treatment alone or an extraction coupled with orthodontic treatment.

Why Do I Need Dental Extractions in Santa Barbra Family Dentistry Santa Maria CA Image.
What Are Some Dental Extractions Reasons Santa Barbara Family Dentistry Image.

Your Santa Maria dentist may determine that you need an extraction for the following reasons:

  • Severe Decay
  • Malpositioned Teeth
  • Root Fracture
  • Severe Tooth Fracture
  • Orthodontic Correction
  • Advanced Periodontal Disease
  • Infection or Abscess

What Types of Extractions Does Santa Barbara Family Dentistry Provide?

Santa Barbara Family Dentistry can provide two types of extractions:

  • Simple extractions: There’s still enough structure to the tooth that we can gently remove it with forceps
  • Surgical extraction: If a tooth is severely damaged, we need to make an incision in the gum tissue to access the tooth’s root. Then, we’ll use special tools to remove the tooth and root before closing and suturing the gum tissue.
What Do I Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth Removal Santa Barbara Family Dentistry Image.

What Do I Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth Removal?

The wisdom teeth are the last molars in the jawbone, also referred to as the third molars. These teeth usually come into your mouth between the ages of 16 and 20.

When the jaw isn’t large enough to accommodate your wisdom teeth, they can become impacted or stuck in the jawbone or the soft gum tissue. A partial impaction is when the tooth emerges only part way through the gum tissue, but the rest is trapped inside the gum and/or bone. In cases of impaction, the wisdom teeth can shift and start to grow sideways. This is detrimental to the adjacent teeth as the wisdom tooth can damage the roots of the other teeth or make it difficult to clean the adjacent teeth thoroughly (in cases of partial impaction).

Santa Barbara Family Dentistry has helped hundreds of patients deal with the frustration, pain, and uncertainty surrounding whether to remove their wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth can be a valuable asset when they’re healthy and properly positioned, but problems often develop that require their removal. Our professional and knowledgeable dental professionals will work with you to determine the best course of action for your specific situation.

What Do I Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth Removal Santa Barbra Family Dentistry Maria CA Image.
What Happens During an Extraction Appointment Santa Barbara Family Dentistry Image.

What Happens During an
Extraction Appointment?

Your Santa Maria dentist will only advise an extraction after careful examination, which includes dental x-rays. The x-ray will not only confirm that the tooth needs to come out, but it will also give the dentist important information regarding the shape and position of the tooth, the root, and the surrounding bone.

Your dentist will start by numbing the tooth and surrounding tissues. Once you’re completely numb, the dentist will use a tool called an elevator to help loosen it from the socket. Then, they’ll use dental forceps to remove the tooth.

Most simple extractions don’t require sutures, but some require one or two. Surgical extractions will require sutures.

The appointment is finished with our dental team providing you with post-operative instructions to help alleviate discomfort and ensure proper healing.

What Happens During an Extraction Appointment In Santa Barbra Family Dentistry Maria CA Image.

An Extraction Can Improve
Your Oral Health

A damaged, decayed, or infected tooth can adversely impact your teeth, gums, jawbone, and jaw joints. Our ultimate goal is to help you achieve and maintain good oral health – and sometimes, that means extracting a tooth.

What Happens During a Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Santa Maria?

A wisdom tooth extraction is a relatively routine procedure. The dentist will start by numbing your tooth and gums. If necessary, your Santa Maria dentist can provide sedation options to keep you comfortable and relaxed (or even asleep) during the procedure.

Utilizing the same techniques used during simple and/or surgical extractions, your dentist will remove the wisdom tooth or teeth. After that, they’ll have you bite down on gauze, which will help stop any bleeding. Typically, you’ll need to bite down on the gauze for 30-45 minutes. We’ll provide fresh gauze to take home so you can change it periodically.

It isn’t uncommon to experience discomfort and swelling after a wisdom tooth extraction. These symptoms typically subside after a few days.

However, you should call us if you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding, or fever.

What Happens During a Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Santa Barbara Family Dentistry Santa Maria Image.

Are you experiencing dental pain?

Contact us right away. We want to help you get out of pain as quickly as possible!

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