Tooth Extractions Philadelphia

Tooth extractions rank among the most common dental procedures. A severely damaged tooth that hasn’t responded to treatment, advanced gum disease destroying bone support, or a tooth broken below the gum line may need extraction to protect your oral health.

Dr. Jay Laudenbach and Dr. Ishita Bhavsar at Laudenbach Periodontics & Dental Implants perform tooth extractions using advanced imaging, gentle techniques, and bone grafting to preserve your jawbone and prepare extraction sites for dental implants.

When Tooth Extraction Becomes Necessary

Severe tooth decay that reaches deep into the tooth structure, a cracked tooth extending below the gum line, or a broken tooth that cannot be repaired requires removal to prevent infection from spreading.

Advanced gum disease destroys the bone and gum tissue supporting your teeth. When a tooth becomes loose and unstable from severe gum disease, extraction stops further damage.

Impacted wisdom teeth cannot fully emerge through the gum line and cause pain, infection, and damage to other teeth. An impacted tooth may develop cysts or tumors that damage the jawbone. Orthodontic treatment sometimes requires extraction of one or more teeth to create space for proper alignment.

Signs You May Need an Extraction

Persistent pain and tenderness in your gums around a specific tooth, combined with swelling and redness, suggests serious problems:

• Infection signs: bleeding or pus around the affected tooth, unpleasant taste in your mouth, or chronic bad breath despite good oral hygiene

• Structural damage: a tooth visibly broken below the gum line, severe pain when biting or chewing, or a cracked tooth

• Jaw problems: difficulty opening or closing your mouth, jaw pain or stiffness concentrated near one tooth, or chronic headaches originating in your jaw

Your dentist or oral surgeon examines the tooth, takes X-rays, and determines whether extraction is necessary.

The Tooth Extraction Process

The tooth extraction procedure begins with Cone Beam 3D imaging or X-rays showing your tooth’s root structure, surrounding bone, and proximity to nerves or sinuses.

Local anesthetic completely numbs the tooth and surrounding gum tissue on extraction day. For anxious patients, we offer nitrous oxide or sedation. You’ll feel pressure but no pain as the local anesthetic blocks sensation.

For a simple extraction, your periodontist gently loosens the tooth by rocking it back and forth in the socket. This widens the socket and breaks the fibers attaching the tooth to bone. Once sufficiently loose, the tooth lifts from the socket.

A surgical extraction handles teeth with complex root structures, teeth broken at the gum line, or impacted wisdom teeth. Your periodontist makes a small incision in the gum tissue and may remove bone surrounding the tooth’s roots. We often section individual roots so less pressure is applied, preserving bone tissue.

Bone Grafting at Extraction Sites

Extensive bone loss occurs following tooth extraction. The empty socket deteriorates rapidly, with the jawbone shrinking in height and width. For a tooth extracted due to infection from periodontal disease or failed root canal, dramatically more bone loss occurs.

We recommend bone grafting the extraction site the same day as your tooth extraction to preserve bone volume. After removing the tooth, we clean the extraction area to remove infected soft tissue. Prepared bone graft material fills the socket completely.

The bone graft material reduces discomfort following extraction. Grafting extraction sites prevents painful dry socket by minimizing bone exposure during early healing. A dry socket occurs when the blood clot protecting the extraction area becomes dislodged, exposing bone and nerves.

Thick collagen barrier material covers the bone graft, holding it in place and promoting soft tissue growth. Sutures stabilize the gum tissue and collagen material, preserving bone needed for future dental implants.