What is a tooth extraction?

If your child needs to have a tooth pulled, the Hardie Dentistry for Kids team may recommend a tooth extraction. In this dental procedure, a team member removes the tooth completely from the bone and the socket in which it sits.

Sometimes, they can perform a simple extraction with the use of dental instruments to loosen the tooth from its socket. Other times — in more complicated situations — they perform a surgical tooth extraction.

In both cases, your child may receive a local anesthetic to numb the area, or a sedative like nitrous oxide.

Why would my child need to have a tooth extracted?

If there’s no way for Dr. Hardie or his team to save a broken or decayed tooth with a filling or crown, your child may need to have the tooth extracted./p>

Other common reasons your child may need a tooth pulled include:

• Overcrowding of teeth in a small mouth
• Baby teeth that are blocking permanent teeth from coming in
• Pre-orthodontic work before getting braces
• Infected teeth as a result of certain medications, like cancer treatments
• Removing wisdom teeth before they crowd other teeth or become impacted in the jaw
• Decay or injury to a tooth beyond repairing or saving it

Dr. Hardie and his team believe in explaining every procedure in detail with parents and kids before you decide to have any dental work performed.

He and his caring dental team take time to answer all your questions so you and your child know what to expect before, during, and after a tooth extraction.

What is the recovery process like after a tooth extraction?

After a tooth extraction, your child may need some time to recover from the anesthesia, as it often makes kids groggy, or sometimes nauseous. It’s also important to protect the blood clot that forms where the tooth once was, as it helps the healing process.

Typically, your child will have to bite on a gauze pad for up to 30 minutes after the extraction.

A member of the dental team provides you with instructions for the first 24 hours after a tooth extraction, such as:

• Avoid drinking through a straw
• Don’t rinse your mouth vigorously or spit too hard
• Avoid cleaning the teeth right next to the tooth that was removed
• Stay hydrated and eat only soft foods
• Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water several times a day

Dr. Hardie and the team at Hardie Dentistry for Kids are there to help if you have questions after the procedure, too.

If your child needs a tooth extraction, or you’d like to schedule an exam, call the Vancouver office or use the online booking tool.