Tooth Extractions – Carlisle, PA
Remove Problematic Teeth, Restore Your Healthy Smile
As your dental team, our goal is always to save your natural teeth. With that said, there are some cases where an
extraction is the only way to restore your oral health and alleviate the discomfort you’re experiencing. If
that’s the case, you can have peace of mind knowing that our dedicated dentists, Dr. Neil Flenniken and
Dr. Suzan Rismani-Flenniken, are here to help. In the meantime, you can read on to learn more about this oral surgery procedure, including what to expect in
the treatment chair.
Why Choose Flenniken Family Dentistry for Tooth Extractions?
- Top-Rated Dental Team in the Area
- Flexible Financing Available with CareCredit
- Appointments as Early as 8 AM
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
The following situations may make tooth extraction in Carlisle unavoidable:
- Decayed teeth that don’t have adequate healthy dental structure to support restoration
- Tooth abscesses or infections that severely damage teeth
- Gum disease that’s so advanced that tooth loss is unavoidable
- Incorrectly positioned teeth
- To make room in the mouth prior to orthodontic treatment
- Teeth that are impacted below the gumline
- Broken or fractured tooth or tooth roots
The Process of Removing a Tooth
There are two types of extractions: simple and surgical. In a simple extraction, the tooth in question is rocked loose until it’s ready to be removed. In a surgical extraction, an incision is made in the gums so we can access the tooth. Then, we carefully remove it section by section and tend to the extraction site. In both cases, the first step of the procedure is numbing your mouth thoroughly. That way, you don’t feel any pain during your time in the treatment chair.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
Following extraction, patients may experience some mild sensitivity or discomfort. To alleviate symptoms like these, it’s important that you follow the aftercare instructions we provide, including:
- Taking OTC pain medication as directed
- Using an ice pack in intervals of 10 to 20 minutes
- Sticking to a soft-foods diet
- Not using a straw, smoking, or spitting
- Changing the gauze pads as needed
- Brushing and flossing carefully around the extraction site
Any discomfort you were experiencing should be almost completely gone after two weeks. If that’s not the case, or you have a fever, contact our team for follow-up care.
Understanding the Cost of Tooth Extractions
To understand the cost of tooth extractions in Carlisle, it’s important to know what factors can affect your expenses and how you can save money on your care. Our team is here to help navigate you through it all, so please don’t hesitate to voice any questions or concerns about affording your treatment! Whether you need a simple extraction or oral surgery, we’ll be as transparent as possible.
Factors That Can Affect Tooth Extraction Cost
As noted, a couple of different factors can impact your overall tooth extraction costs. For example:
- Removing one tooth is generally less costly than extracting multiple.
- Molars (located in the back of the mouth) are more difficult to reach than front teeth, and may add to your expenses.
- Simple extractions are less involved – and tend to cost less – than surgical extractions.
- Traditional tooth replacement options are generally more affordable than dental implant restorations, though implants do last longer and are more durable.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Tooth Extractions?
Fortunately, most dental insurance policies do cover tooth extractions. The exact amount of coverage varies from plan to plan, but as a dental insurance friendly office, we can help you review your benefits so you won’t have to rely on guesswork. We’ll also file any claims on your behalf. Focus on recovering from your tooth extraction, and we’ll handle the rest!
Other Options for Making Tooth Extractions Affordable
If you don’t have dental insurance, you can still save money on your tooth extraction in Carlisle. We proudly accept CareCredit financing, which enables our patients to break their overall treatment costs down into smaller monthly payments. Many CareCredit plans have little-to-no-interest as well, meaning you can reasonably expect your expenses to stay consistent over time.
We also have an in-house savings plan that you’ll be able to use as soon as you sign up. Similar to dental insurance, our savings plan covers preventive and diagnostic appointments. Unlike dental insurance, there’s no waiting period, annual maximum, or deductible. You’ll save 25% on your tooth extraction right then and there!
Finally, we’re offering $300 off of a single dental implant replacement. While this special offer won’t affect your tooth extraction costs directly, it will help with expenses related to replacing your tooth.
Tooth Extractions FAQs
Is There an Alternative to Tooth Extraction?
One of the primary goals of dental medicine is the preservation of the patient’s natural teeth, but it sometimes necessary to remove compromised teeth to prevent problems that can harm the rest of the smile. While damaged and infected teeth can often be saved with restorative treatments like fillings, crowns, root canals, and periodontal disease therapy, you can rest assured that these options have been ruled out and extraction is the best way to preserve your oral health if one of the skilled dentists at Flenniken Family Dentistry recommends it.
What Are My Tooth Replacement Options?
The American Dental Association recommends replacing lost teeth as soon as possible to prevent issues like dental drift, uneven enamel erosion, grinding, gum injuries, and TMJ disorder, and the team at Flenniken Family Dentistry offers several functional restoration options that can complete your smile after extraction. We offer traditional bridges, which are strings of one or two artificial teeth supported by two dental crowns placed on the healthy teeth on either side of the gap created by tooth loss. We also offer full and partial dentures that can replace several, many, or all of a patient’s teeth with one appliance. However, the ideal way to replace lost teeth is with dental implants, which are advanced prosthetic devices designed to be surgically placed in the jawbone and fused with its structure through the process of osseointegration, which gives the restorations mounted upon them the sturdy foundation they need to function and feel just like real teeth. The best tooth replacement option for you depends on how many teeth you are missing, where they were located in the mouth, and your oral health history. Our dentist in Carlisle will be happy to recommend an appropriate restoration during your consultation.
Can I Leave the Space Empty After a Tooth Extraction?
Some patients who have teeth removed may be tempted to forgo replacing them, but this can lead to a host of unpleasant oral and overall health problems. Tooth loss leads to jawbone atrophy that can pull the remaining teeth out of alignment, making them more vulnerable to infection and injury, and eventually leave the mouth with an elderly and sunken appearance. Missing teeth can also make it difficult to speak clearly and leave a patient susceptible to overall health issues like indigestion and malnutrition. Our dentist will be happy to help you understand your tooth replacement options when we see you at our office in Carlisle.
Can I Smoke After Tooth Extraction?
Tobacco contains the addictive chemical nicotine, and chewing or smoking it will cause your blood vessels to constrict. This makes it harder for your gum tissue to heal and fight infection, so tobacco use can delay or complicate your healing process after extraction. It’s best to abstain from tobacco for at least two weeks after extraction and ideal to quit completely. If you’ve had trouble kicking a tobacco habit in the past, please be honest about it when discussing your extraction with our dentist so we can plan your treatment accordingly.
