Tooth Extractions
The goal of dentistry is to promote good oral health and comfort so that you can lead a healthier life and eat the foods you love. We recommend dental extractions only as a last resort to protect your health, eliminate symptoms, or reduce pain – and it is never a recommendation that we make lightly.
Conditions That May Require a Tooth Extraction
If you have injuries involving your head and neck, it is essential to seek immediate medical treatment. We can address your dental concerns once any life-threatening injuries have been ruled out.
Common conditions requiring dental extraction:
- Overcrowding
- Wisdom teeth
- Non-restorable fractures
- Advanced periodontal disease
- Unsuccessful root canal therapy
- A tooth broken at the gumline
- Trauma due to an accident
In many cases, we can plan for tooth replacement treatment before beginning your extraction so that we have a plan in place to restore your smile. In cases of overcrowding or wisdom tooth extractions, we will not need to replace missing teeth.
Personalized Dental Treatment Options
Our dentist will explain all your options and help you make a confident decision regarding your oral health.
We understand that many of our patients have concerns about dental extractions. Will it hurt? What will happen to my oral health? How will it affect the appearance of my smile?
We'll take the time to make sure that we address all these concerns and answer your questions.
Your Dental Extraction Procedure
We make patient comfort a top priority. Our dentist will always use appropriate levels of anesthetic and wait for it to take effect before beginning. Our team communicates well and will be here to answer your questions. Together, we will design a solution that addresses each of your concerns.
We strive to provide efficient, effective, and successful dental extractions so that you can get on the road to recovery quickly.
Surgical extractions involve teeth that have not fully erupted from the gums. This often occurs when there is not enough space for the tooth or it is growing in at an angle. This condition, known as impaction, often causes pain and jaw discomfort. Removing your tooth can dramatically improve your comfort and protect your remaining teeth.
Simple extractions involve teeth that have erupted fully from the gums. In the case of simple extractions, we can see the crown of the tooth before we begin. They usually do not require stitches during the healing process.
Properly caring for your surgical site is critical:
- Gently clean the area.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes or drinking through a straw.
- Avoid chewing on the area during the healing process.
- Follow aftercare instructions provided by your dentist.
Contact us to schedule an evaluation to get important answers regarding your oral health and smile.
We look forward to welcoming you to our dental practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your dentist recommends scaling and root planing (SRP), it means you have symptoms of gum disease or periodontal disease. Dental deep cleaning is necessary to stop the damaging effects of this disease.
We all have tiny, open spaces between our teeth and gums, which dentists call a sulcus. Bacteria, plaque, and calculus can build up in these areas over time and become problematic if not removed through brushing, flossing, and regular dental cleanings. When this happens, the gums become swollen, the spaces get deeper, and bacteria make their way further and further down into the gums. A healthy sulcus is less than 3 mm deep, while greater depth suggests a problem. Your dentist will check the depth of the area using a special probe.
When bacteria create an infection in the gums, it’s called gingivitis. If it isn’t severe, regular dental cleaning and more rigorous dental hygiene can correct it. If the bacteria reach deep into the gums, an infection can damage the underlying structures, like the tooth root, attached ligaments, and the bone. This is periodontal disease, and it can cause tooth loss and other health problems if it’s not addressed.
Meet Our Dentist:
Dr. Elyce Millery DDS
Dr. Millery grew up in Rockville, Maryland, and received her bachelor's degree in Nutritional Science from the University of Maryland College Park. She worked as a dental assistant before attending dental school. After earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, she relocated to Hanover, Maryland, with her husband and decided to open a private practice in 2018.
In addition to her formal education, Dr. Millery continues to study dentistry. She actively pursues at least 50 hours annually of continuing education in numerous topics, ...