Cosmetic dentistry refers to specific dental work that improves the appearance of your teeth, bite, or gums. Many dentists perform these procedures commonly refer to themselves as a cosmetic dentist. A cosmetic dentist has at least 4 years of specialized training that include areas such as endodontics, orthodontics, and periodontics. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on teeth removal, teeth straightening or reshaping, or placing dental bridges.
Tooth extractions may be necessary before a cosmetic dentist can begin dental work. Removing a decayed or damaged tooth may be necessary to keep the infection from spreading. Another reason for tooth extractions might be overcrowding due to extra teeth, or your wisdom teeth. Also, clients who need orthodontic treatment may require teeth removal to make room for orthodontic applications such as braces or spacers.
There are several factors that determine if a tooth needs to be extracted. The obvious reason being a visible fracture of all or part of the tooth. Some other common factors are an overabundance of teeth causing overcrowding or blocking other teeth from coming in, periodontal disease, and extractions of teeth that are inhibiting proper radiation treatment in cancer patients.
Before the tooth is pulled, the oral surgeon will numb the area with a local anesthetic. Depending on the severity of the damaged tooth, a stronger anesthetic may be used to provide extra pain and anxiety relief. Once the area to be worked on is numb, the dentist will use specific tools to rock the tooth back and forth to loosen the ligaments that hold it in the gum socket. Once extracted, a blood clot will form in the empty socket to speed up the healing process, and a small gauze pad will be placed in the area for you to bite down on to prevent further bleeding. Sometimes stitches may be needed if the dentist had to make incisions to remove the damaged tooth.
Recovering from a tooth extraction only takes a couple days. You should contact your dentist office immediately if notice an increase in bleeding or swelling, fever, or nausea and vomiting. To speed up the recovery process, you can use ice packs to reduce swelling, rinsing with warm salt water to disinfect the extraction site, and take prescribed pain medication. Once you have fully recovered from this procedure, your dentist will release you back to your normal oral routine.
