Pediatric Tooth Extractions – Castle Rock, CO

 

When is Pediatric Tooth Extraction Needed?

Your child’s baby teeth are supposed to fall out to make way for healthy permanent teeth, but in some situations, things can go wrong and necessitate extraction. Examples of these kinds of situations include:

• A baby tooth has not come out naturally, interfering with the permanent tooth’s ability to erupt properly.
• The tooth has extensive decay or damage to the point where fillings or even a crown cannot salvage it.
• Your child’s teeth are overcrowded and need orthodontic treatment, and extracting a tooth will provide the necessary space.

In each of these circumstances, extraction may be the best or only option for your smile’s benefit. If Dr. Benzley recommends extraction, it will likely be for these reasons, but make sure that you fully understand so that you and your child can feel confident moving forward with this procedure.

What is the Tooth Extraction Process?

Believe it or not, removing a tooth can vary case by case. Whereas most baby teeth can be extracted by simply pulling them with dental pliers, molars or premolars may require more invasive measures to complete the procedure. When we evaluate your child, we can tell you more specifically what your child will need. Extracting a tooth may seem complex or painful at first glance, but our caring team at Castle Rock Smiles Pediatric Dentistry will be with your child every step of the way, ensuring their comfort throughout the procedure. In addition to local anesthetic, which removes any pain, we use several forms of sedation to help our young patients feel relaxed.

What Can I Expect After Pediatric Tooth Extraction?

After your child has a tooth extracted, it’s important to take care of the site so it heals properly. For example, the site needs to develop a blood clot, which protects the vulnerable tissue and nerves in the gums as they heal. Although we will provide more specific care instructions after your child’s procedure, here are a few ways you can help your child recover from extraction:

• Keep gauze on the site for a few hours, replacing it as needed until the bleeding stops and a blood clot forms.
• Use cold packs to manage the swelling and over-the-counter pain medication to handle any discomfort.
• Give them softer foods to eat and have them avoid chewing with teeth near the extraction site.
• Have them rest, especially from strenuous activities for a couple of days. Then they can progressively build back up to their normal activity level.
• After eating, have them gently rinse their mouth out with warm water to keep the site clean. They can resume brushing their teeth after 24 hours, but make sure they are careful around the tender site.
• Do not let them use a straw for at least 48 hours. The sucking motion can dislodge the clot and lead to an infection.

With our knowledgeable, compassionate team by your side, you can make sure that your child’s smile is strong and healthy now and for many years to come.

Understanding the Cost of Tooth Extractions  

When faced with your child needing a tooth extraction, it’s natural to be concerned about the price. After all, if you can’t afford the treatment, you can’t get them the relief they need. Unfortunately, however, it is impossible to give you an exact price quote without your child’s dentist examining the tooth or teeth in person. This is because there are several factors that go into determining the total cost of a tooth extraction depending on the patient’s individual needs. To learn more about how we calculate the cost of a tooth extraction at Castle Rock Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, please refer to the information below.

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