Surgical Care
At Mobley Family Dentistry, we strive to restore your teeth to a healthy state whenever possible. Sometimes, however, surgical dental procedures and tooth extractions are necessary to treat dental problems and eliminate infection.
Tooth Extractions
When a tooth nerve has become infected and the tooth itself cannot be restored with a filling, root canal or crown, it may be necessary to remove the tooth.
Most routine dental extractions can be performed with local anesthetic in a short appointment. Our dentists will make sure you are completely comfortable during surgical dental procedures; we also have sedation options to help you relax if you are anxious or fearful about dental treatment.
The dentist may prescribe antibiotics and other medications to help relieve any soreness after a tooth extraction while the mouth heals.
In some cases, as with third molars or “wisdom teeth”, your dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon for tooth extractions. Third molars usually erupt during the late teen years; for most patients they are very difficult to keep clean and are prone to tooth decay, abscesses and pain.
Tooth Extractions vs. Saving Your Teeth
We sometimes meet patients that have a toothache and want their tooth removed to alleviate pain. We definitely understand how this must feel! The dentist's first course of action for a dental emergency is to make the patient comfortable with local anesthetic or other treatments so they can make a well-informed decision about their dental health.
In most cases, when a tooth is removed, it will need to be replaced with a dental implant, bridge or removable denture to regain lost function. These types of tooth replacement procedures can be more costly than other restorative treatments that could save the natural tooth, such as a root canal and crown.
If a missing tooth is not replaced, this can create problems for other teeth as they move and shift into the open space left by the extraction. Eventually, even more teeth could potentially be damaged and lost. The exception would be in the case of third molars, or "wisdom teeth", which generally are not a functional part of the bite and are usually recommended for extraction.
Restorative Dental Surgery Procedures
Our Watkinsville dentists Dr. Rhonda Mobley and Dr. Alan Mobley work with local dental surgery specialists to assist our patients with restorative surgical treatments, including placement of dental implants, and bone and soft tissue grafting procedures. Grafting procedures are used to replace lost jaw bone or gum tissue, and dental implants provide the foundation for our dentists to replace one or more missing teeth with a crown, bridge or removable denture.
Your Restorative Dentists in Watkinsville
If you have questions about your dental health, our knowledgeable dentists and team members would be glad to assist you. Please Contact Mobley Family Dentistry to schedule a consultation and complete dental examination with one of our general and restorative dentists.
