Tooth Extractions in Missoula, MT

Do you know where the saying “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch” comes from? While often used as an idiom to demonstrate how one person’s bad behavior can influence those around them, it is also very literal. When a fruit begins to rot, it releases gases and bacteria that affect the fruits around it. With only one bad apple, the whole bunch will start to spoil faster.

Surprisingly, teeth work in a similar way! When one tooth is infected or decaying, it allows for the spread of bacteria, potentially affecting neighboring teeth. While we always aim to save your natural teeth, it’s sometimes necessary to remove a troublesome tooth to protect the rest of your smile! At Big Sky Dentures & Implants, we perform tooth extractions when necessary to keep your smile healthy and happy.

When Are Tooth Extractions Necessary?

A tooth extraction is necessary when a tooth is beyond treatment. If a filling, root canal, or dental crown can’t save your tooth, it may be time to remove it.

Tooth Extractions in Missoula, MT | Keeping Your Smile Healthy 😁

At Big Sky Dentures and Implants, we routinely extract teeth when necessary to protect the health of your smile. We may remove your tooth if you are experiencing:

  • Immense decay due to a lack of oral care
  • Severe damage, like a broken or cracked tooth
  • Advanced gum disease, leading to the loosening of teeth
  • Problematic wisdom teeth that are causing you pain

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you may need a dental extraction! Fortunately, we have years of experience performing these procedures routinely. However, it’s important to note that we do not remove impacted wisdom teeth and will instead refer you to an oral surgeon.

Types of Tooth Extractions

Depending on the details of your specific case, we may use one of two types of tooth extractions. Regardless of which method, we make sure to apply a local anesthetic to your gums and teeth. This helps numb your mouth before treatment, keeping you comfortable throughout the extraction process. If necessary, we also provide effective sedation options to help ease anxiety and keep you relaxed!

Simple Extraction

When your tooth is easily accessible, we’ll use the simple extraction method with a special dental tool called a Piezotome CUBE®! This instrument allows us to gently loosen your tooth from its socket, without severely disrupting your gum and bone tissues. Then, we pull the tooth out in one careful pull.

After flushing out your gums to remove all signs of debris, we will place a gauze pad over the site and have you bite down gently. The pressure then creates a blood clot, which is essential for fast and effective healing after a tooth extraction.

If you follow our aftercare instructions, you can experience a smooth healing process.

Surgical Extraction

If your tooth isn’t easily accessible, whether it’s underneath your gums or broken at the gum line, we may use a surgical extraction.

For this treatment, we also use the Piezotome CUBE® to make an incision in your gums and access your tooth. Then, if necessary, we’ll break your tooth into smaller pieces to remove it one piece at a time. Once your tooth is gone, we’ll flush out your socket to remove any debris or lingering signs of infection.

Then, to facilitate your healing process, we’ll stitch your gums together to close the incision we made. While the healing instructions are similar to a simple extraction, be sure to take extra care after a surgical extraction.

How We Replace Your Missing Teeth After Tooth Extractions

Missing teeth require prompt replacement. Allowing a tooth to go unreplaced may result in shifting teeth, difficulties chewing, and a severe loss of bone mass in your jaw.

Fortunately, using dental implants, we can restore your smile! These titanium screws anchor in your jawbone to take the place of your natural tooth roots. Thanks to their biocompatible composition, implants then integrate with your jawbone, creating an incredibly strong foundation.

Using implants for support, we can replace a single tooth, multiple teeth, or even a full arch of missing teeth!

At Big Sky Dentures & Implants, we use mini dental implants, rather than conventional implants. While both are effective, mini implants offer incredible benefits for patients.

Thanks to their sleek design, these implants allow us to use a minimally invasive procedure, resulting in faster healing. In fact, we can often place a mini implant in your extraction site immediately after your tooth extraction! While this is only possible for those with enough quality bone, it streamlines the process significantly!

Then, after a few weeks of healing, we’ll secure a final crown, bridge, or denture on top, restoring your smile.

Entrust Us With Your Smile in Missouli, MT!

One bad apple spoils the whole bunch, just like one decaying tooth can risk your entire smile! If you’re in need of tooth extractions, visit Big Sky Dentures & Implants! Using innovative treatments and tools like the Piezotome CUBE®, we extract your tooth gently to preserve your oral health. Then, we replace it with a mini implant, sometimes the same day!

Book an appointment today to learn what an extraction may be able to do for your smile.

Frequently Asked Questions

After your procedure, we will send you home with detailed healing instructions. By following these guidelines carefully, you can expect a relatively quick and easy recovery!

Healing is especially simple thanks to the Piezotome CUBE®. This instrument enables us to minimize damage to your gum and bone tissues, resulting in faster healing and reduced discomfort.

However, you will still experience a recovery period and need to take careful steps to avoid disrupting your healing process.

For the first 24 hours, we recommend plenty of rest and keeping your extraction site elevated. Any pain or discomfort you experience should be manageable with either prescribed or over-the-counter pain medications.

Then, to combat any bruising or swelling (which is normal after a surgical extraction), we suggest applying a cold compress to your cheek intermittently. Twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off can significantly reduce swelling.

Overall, your gums may take 1 to 2 weeks to heal after a simple extraction, and 4 to 6 weeks after the surgical method. However, this timeframe depends on the complexity of your case, and may be shortened thanks to the Piezotome CUBE®!

Eating after a tooth extraction can be nerve-racking, but we’ll provide you with recommendations that help protect your healing site.

Initially, be sure to skip hot or spicy foods. We suggest sticking to cool, smooth foods that won’t irritate your healing site for about a week post-surgery. Then, slowly introduce other foods when you can chew more comfortably. While you’re healing, though, avoid chewing directly on your extraction site, especially on crunchy, spicy, or hard foods.

Additionally, avoid using a straw for at least a week! Sucking through a straw is an easy way to dislodge the blood clot, which disrupts your healing process and prolongs your recovery.

While everyone’s healing process is unique, be sure to wait a full seven days before resuming your regular diet.

Before your extraction process, we use a local anesthetic to numb your treatment area. Then, if necessary, we can use sedation dentistry to help keep you relaxed throughout the procedure!

However, with the Piezotome CUBE, patients typically experience significantly reduced discomfort afterwards. When using this gentle method, we have helped reduce swelling, pain, bruising, and healing times for patients like you!