Tooth extraction is a procedure that permanently removes your tooth from your tooth socket. When damage or decay reaches the tooth’s pulp (the tissue in the tooth’s center that’s rich in blood vessels and nerves), Ventura tooth extractions are an option to remove the affected tooth and prevent the infection from spreading.

We often recommend an extraction for problems we can’t correct with antibiotics or root canal therapy. Whenever you have a tooth removed, you also have the option of receiving a bone graft in the area to preserve the level of your jawbone. This is essential if you plan to replace the tooth with a future dental implant.

The process for tooth extraction

We’ll use a local anesthetic to numb your mouth, or, if you’re having multiple teeth extracted, we may use dental sedation to ensure you’re comfortable and pain-free. We use dental tools to loosen and remove your tooth; some tooth extractions in Ventura require stitches to close the gum edges near the site of the extraction. If you are receiving a bone graft, we will place the graft in the socket where your tooth was, and close the gum edges with a membrane and stitches.

After a tooth extraction

Avoid using tobacco and marijuana products after your extraction: their smoke contains chemicals that interfere with the healing process and reduce your body’s ability to combat infection.

The physical action of smoking can dislodge the blood clot that forms at the site of your extraction, exposing the socket’s bone. This causes a painful condition known as a dry socket. For a couple of days after your extraction, avoid using a straw or engaging in any other activity that can pull the clot away from your tooth socket.

We’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to confirm that everything is healing properly. Some stitches for Ventura tooth extractions dissolve on their own, while others require removal. We’ll let you know what kind you have and remove them if needed at your follow-up visit.