Tooth Extractions In Coronado

Improper eruption of wisdom teeth is the most common reason for tooth extractions. The wisdom teeth grow in between the ages of 17-25 in most people, which is much later than the rest of the teeth.
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Because of this, this final set of four molars can fail to erupt all the way, may damage nearby teeth, or may even grow in sideways or cause other complications. Wisdom tooth extraction is often recommended to prevent these issues.
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Tooth extractions may also be required if a tooth has been seriously damaged by oral trauma, or has been destroyed by chronic oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease. 
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In some cases, tooth extractions may also be needed to prepare for certain restorative procedures, like the placement of a dental implant or the denture fitting process.

The most common type of tooth extraction is called a basic or “simple” extraction. The process is very simple, and after your mouth has been prepared, it takes only a few minutes to remove your tooth at Coronado Dental Associates. 
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To begin the process, you will need local anesthesia to ensure you don’t feel any pain or discomfort. Dr. Villalobos will use a numbing spray and a needle to deeply numb the nerves and tissue surrounding the extraction site. We also offer sedation options that can help you feel more comfortable during your appointment. 
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Once your mouth is fully numb and you can’t feel anything, Dr. Villalobos will begin to use special dental tools to loosen the tooth in its socket. Using these tools, the periodontal ligament that holds the tooth to the bone and gum tissue will be loosened.
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After the tooth has been loosened, the next step is to pull it out with a set of dental forceps. Then, the area will be cleaned and sanitized, and the extraction site will be sutured to ensure proper blood clot formation and healing.

You can expect the recovery process to take up to 2 weeks. We recommend that you take at least 1-2 days off of work or school after your tooth extraction to ensure you can relax and take things easy while you recover from surgery.
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Throughout the recovery process, you will also need to follow special instructions and steps provided to you by Dr. Villalobos. This will help keep you comfortable, minimize pain, and speed up the healing process, so make sure to follow their instructions to the letter.

Technically, you can start eating as soon as you leave Coronado Dental Associates. However, we don’t recommend this. It’s best to wait at least an hour or two for your first meal after your tooth extraction. There are a couple of reasons for this.
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First, it’s likely that your mouth will be bleeding for at least 45 minutes to an hour after your appointment, and you’ll need to bite down on a gauze pack to ensure the bleeding slows and stops.
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Also, the side of your mouth where your tooth was extracted will be numb. This means you may not be able to feel pain if you chew on your lip, tongue, or cheek. Even if you eat soft food, you may bite yourself if you eat before your numbing wears off.
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Once your mouth is no longer bleeding and you are no longer numb, feel free to start eating. But make sure you only eat very soft or liquid foods, as instructed by Dr. Villalobos. Smoothies, milkshakes, ice cream, brothy soups, soft scrambled eggs, and other such foods are best after your extraction. You can consult your recovery instructions for more food suggestions.

First, it’s really important not to spit forcefully or use a straw for at least 48 hours after your treatment. This is because spitting or sucking can dislodge the blood clot forming in your extraction site, leading to a painful condition known as “dry socket” that will interfere with proper healing.
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You also should avoid brushing the extraction site for at least 3-4 days. You can brush your other teeth normally, but should use a salt water rinse several times per day to clean your extraction site. Remember not to spit forcefully when rinsing your mouth.
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We also recommend avoiding heavy lifting and exercise for at least 2-3 days after your treatment. Exertion will make your extraction site hurt and could contribute to bleeding. Take things easy, and rest and relax after your surgery at our office.

Tooth extractions are not painful at all. Dr. Villalobos will numb your mouth to ensure that you don’t feel any pain. First, they will spray anesthetic on the area, then a numbing needle will be used to inject Novocaine or a similar local numbing agent deeply into the area around the tooth.
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This completely numbs the nerves in the tooth and the nearby areas. While you may feel a little bit of pressure as Dr. Villalobos loosens and removes your tooth, you won’t feel any pain at all.
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However, we will note that you can expect some pain after your extraction. Once your numbing wears off, your mouth will start to hurt. If Dr. Villalobos provides you with a prescription for painkillers, fill it and take them as directed.
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If not, you should take acetaminophen to help with the pain. Applying an ice pack to the cheek for 10 minutes at a time is also an effective way to numb the extraction site and help with discomfort. 
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In general, pain and other side effects like bruising, swelling, and inflammation will peak and then start to fade away after about 1-3 days. Follow your recovery instructions to make sure your mouth heals properly, and to reduce your pain and discomfort.

Yes! Most patients opt to be sedated during the tooth extraction procedure at Coronado Dental Associates. Sedation keeps you feeling safe and comfortable throughout your entire appointment. 
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We offer nitrous oxide sedation, which allows you to get the care you need without fear and anxiety. Best of all, it wears off after only about 5 minutes once your procedure is over, so you can drive yourself home to rest and recover, and you don’t need to plan to have anyone drive you to and from our office.

Once your tooth has been pulled, it’s best to follow a few dietary restrictions to ensure that your mouth heals properly. Eating certain foods, like really tough foods, can be difficult due to swelling and bruising. Some other foods, like hard and sharp foods (potato or tortilla chips, for example) can actually damage your extraction site and interfere with healing. 
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After your surgery and for the first 2-3 days, you should stick to a diet of mostly liquid foods, such as broth-based soups, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, and other foods that require no chewing at all. This makes it easier to get the nutrition you need after your tooth extraction.
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Once your extraction site has started to heal, you can add some firmer foods into your diet. After about 3-5 days, most patients can start eating things like soft scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, macaroni, pasta, and rice. 
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You can continue to add new foods into your diet after about a week, like easy-to-chew meats, and most types of fresh fruits and vegetables. You should still avoid very crunchy and tough foods. After about 2 weeks, you can resume your normal diet without any restrictions. 
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Dr. Villalobos will provide you with a full set of recovery instructions, and these will outline your dietary recommendations in more detail. Follow their directions closely to make sure you recover quickly.