Tooth Extractions in North Highlands, CA

In certain circumstances, removing a tooth is required to prevent your oral health from deteriorating. Our dental team will always reserve extraction as a last resort. However, when necessary, tooth extraction can be a quick and pain-free procedure that helps stabilize your oral health. At Watt Antelope Family Dentistry, we provide tooth extraction in North Highlands, CA, for patients of all ages.

Tooth Extractions: At a Glance

Procedure Type: Light oral surgery

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia for simple extractions, sedation possible for complex extractions

Procedure Time: Usually 20–30 minutes per tooth, up to 60 minutes per tooth for complex cases

Downtime: 1 to 2 days in most cases

Recovery Time: Initial healing typically takes 1 to 2 weeks

Discomfort Level: Mild to moderate soreness

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Your wisdom teeth, or final molars, can cause issues when there is insufficient room in your mouth for them. While some people may have no issues when they begin growing in around late adolescence to early adulthood, for others, that can cause pain, soreness, and oral health risks.

Some patients may wait until adulthood to address wisdom teeth issues. However, it often proves best to remove them before issues arise. As a family dentist, we can provide consistent monitoring of a child's oral health as they grow up. We can then make recommendations after they reach adolescence about whether their wisdom teeth will need removal or not.

Signs You Need a Tooth Extraction

The only sure way to know if you need a tooth extraction is to have an exam with an experienced dentist. However, some symptoms that may indicate a need for extraction can include:

• Severe tooth pain that does not improve
• A tooth that is badly cracked, broken, or damaged
• Advanced tooth decay that cannot be repaired with a filling or crown
• Swelling, infection, or an abscess around the tooth
• Loose teeth caused by advanced gum disease
• Impacted wisdom teeth causing pain or crowding
• Overcrowding before orthodontic treatment
• Repeated infections around the same tooth
• Difficulty chewing due to a damaged or painful tooth
• A tooth that cannot be saved with root canal therapy or other treatment

If you have any of these symptoms, you can call 916-331-1211 to set up an appointment. Alternatively, you can use our online form to schedule your visit for tooth extraction or wisdom teeth removal in North Highlands, CA.

Tooth Extraction FAQs

Is a tooth extraction painful?

Local anesthesia is enough for a pain-free extraction in most patients. Soreness and discomfort can come afterward, though. Most patients report pain that is a 2–4 out of 10, which can then be readily managed with medication. For most patients, over-the-counter pain relievers will sufficiently dampen any discomfort. After complex cases, we may prescribe pain medication at the doctor's discretion.

How long is the recovery?

Most tooth extractions only require 1 to 3 days off from school or work. Simple extractions may not even require a full day of downtime. It largely depends on the complexity of your extraction. Complex cases can involve more interaction with the mouth's tissues, which in turn causes more swelling and discomfort.

With wisdom teeth removal, we typically recommend teens take 2–3 days off from school. For adults, it will depend on the number of teeth removed and the severity of swelling.

What is dry socket?

Dry socket is the dreaded outcome of when the blood clot at an extraction site is knocked loose. While not necessarily high risk, it does involve notable pain and discomfort, as the inner part of the gums is exposed. However, as long as you avoid creating any suction forces in your mouth, the risk of dry socket is minimal. Carefully avoid anything like:

• Smoking cigarettes or using vapes
• Using a straw
• Spitting
• Maintaining a soft food diet for several days
• Chew on the opposite side

How long is an extraction appointment?

Most of our patients express complete surprise at how quick a simple extraction is. The extraction itself could take as little as a few minutes, with most of the appointment being the waiting period for the anesthetic to take effect. For a better idea of how much time to expect in total, we break it down below:

Simple Extraction

• Extraction time: 10–20 minutes
• Total time: 45–60 minutes

Complex Extraction

• Extraction time: 30–60+ minutes
• Total time: 90+ minutes

Wisdom Teeth Removal

• Extraction time: 45–60 minutes (all four teeth, on average)
• Total time: 60–90 minutes (on average)

Can I replace an extracted tooth?

With wisdom teeth removal, you will not need to replace the teeth. However, any other extracted teeth should generally be replaced after removal. Doing so helps preserve facial shape, jawbone health, and your smile's appearance. Dental implants are the gold standard, but dental bridges and dentures can also be useful in appropriate situations.