Tooth Extractions – Hanford, CA
Preserve Your Oral Health by Removing Severely Damaged Teeth
While tooth extractions in Hanford are not our first treatment option, there are instances in which a tooth is damaged or decayed beyond repair. Instead of letting the issue fester and spread, we will remove the troublesome tooth and replace it with either a dental bridge or a dental implant. This way, you can enjoy a complete, healthy smile that doesn’t cause you pain or stress.
Why Choose Hanford Family Dental Center for Tooth Extractions?
- Timely Emergency Dental Appointments
- Start-to-Finish Dental Implant Treatment
- Over 1,000 5-Star Google Reviews
Reasons Why Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
We want you to enjoy a natural smile for your entire life whenever possible, which is why we only recommend tooth extractions in Hanford when:
- A tooth is decayed and cannot be effectively repaired with a dental filling or crown.
- Gum disease has eroded the supportive structures of your tooth, leaving it loose and compromised.
- An infection is at risk of spreading to surrounding teeth and cannot be treated.
- A tooth is impacted below the gumline.
- Space needs to be made in the mouth prior to orthodontic treatment.
The Process of Removing a Tooth
The process of removing a tooth always begins the same way: by numbing your mouth thoroughly. Once you can no longer feel anything, your emergency dentist will use special tools to grip the tooth, rock it back and forth, and remove it from the socket. Then, they will tend to the extraction site. Again, your mouth will be completely numb, so you won’t feel any discomfort during your time in the treatment chair.
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
Before you head home, we will provide you with a list of aftercare instructions to help you heal comfortably. A few examples include:
- Changing the gauze pads as needed
- Taking prescribed or OTC pain medication as directed
- Placing a cold compress against the outside of your cheek
- Eating extremely soft foods, like applesauce
- Not using a straw, spitting, or smoking
- Avoiding strenuous exercise, like HIIT training
- Keeping your head elevated, even while you sleep
If you have any questions, or you’re struggling with a severe toothache and think you may benefit from an extraction, then get in touch with our team at Hanford Family Dental Center to schedule an appointment.
Understanding the Cost of Tooth Extractions
Even if you know your tooth needs to be removed for the sake of your oral and overall health, it’s still perfectly reasonable to ask how much the procedure will cost before you commit to it. While we cannot provide you with a proper cost estimate until we have evaluated your oral health at our practice, this guide can help you develop a better idea of what to expect until then. Here’s a quick look at how tooth extractions are priced at our Hanford office, but please feel free to contact our staff if you’d like to learn more.
Factors That Can Affect Tooth Extraction Cost
Several factors will probably determine most of the cost of your tooth extraction. These are:
- The type of tooth being extracted: The teeth located farther back in the mouth are larger, harder to reach, and more anatomically complicated, so removing them is typically more expensive.
- The complexity of the case: In some instances, we may have to refer a patient to a specialist who uses a different pricing system.
- Replacement: The American Dental Association recommends replacing your lost teeth as soon as possible to protect your oral and overall health. We’ll be happy to discuss your options for prosthetic devices such as bridges, dentures, and dental implants when we see you during your consultation.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Tooth Extractions?
Dental insurance policies typically cover tooth extractions by 50% to 80%, but we’ll have to confirm what your plan will pay for before we can provide you with a proper estimate of expenses. Your plan may also impose restrictions like a waiting period or a deductible that must be met before coverage takes effect or an annual maximum that defines how much it can pay in a year. We’ll be happy to help you navigate and understand your insurance policy when we see you for your consultation.
How to Make Tooth Extractions Affordable
The team at Hanford Family Dental Center understands that some people who need tooth extractions may need a little help paying for them, and we’re eager to make sure that everyone in town can get the oral care they need to stay healthy and comfortable. To that end, we offer flexible financing options from CareCredit. These payment plans will break your bill into small monthly payments that are easy to manage. Our staff will be happy to help you understand your financing and payment options when we see you at our office.
Tooth Extractions FAQs
Is there an alternative to a tooth extraction?
Many patients get anxious when they learn they need to have a troublesome tooth taken out and wonder whether there are any other treatments that can repair the damage instead. For instance, sometimes a root canal followed by placing a dental crown can alleviate severe toothaches and restore the function and appearance of the affected tooth.
However, we typically recommend tooth extractions only as a last resort, after our team has determined there’s no other way to effectively mend it or protect your dental health. If you have questions about why we’ve suggested this service, we are happy to share more information so that you feel confident moving forward.
Does removing problematic teeth hurt?
You’re not alone if you’re concerned that your extraction procedure will be long and agonizing, but that’s usually not the case. Our compassionate providers understand you might be afraid, and we will do everything we can to help you feel at ease.
For instance, we will numb your mouth with a local anesthetic before starting your procedure. This blocks pain signals from your teeth to your brain, so you might feel pressure while we work, but not outright discomfort.
That means you likely won’t have to worry about aches or inflammation until the medication wears off afterward. Then it’s normal to feel sore or swollen for a few days, though you can often manage this with an ice pack or over-the-counter solutions such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Can I smoke after my extraction procedure?
Your mouth needs to form a blood clot at the extraction site to protect the recently exposed nerves, bone, and other tissues and prevent a potentially painful complication known as dry socket.
Our team will provide aftercare instructions for you to follow that are intended to help preserve this blood clot to expedite healing. One common instruction is to avoid smoking, vaping, or using tobacco products until your mouth has mended. Not only can the force of suction from taking a drag damage or dislodge the clot, but tobacco also contains nicotine, which suppresses your immune system and increases the likelihood of developing infection.
What are the options for replacing my missing tooth?
Our team offers several options for replacing your recently removed tooth. For example, partial dentures or a dental bridge can help replace one or more sporadically missing teeth in your arch, and we’re happy to recommend the best option based on your unique circumstances and the number of teeth extracted.
We also have the in-depth training and state-of-the-art equipment to offer start-to-finish dental implant treatment. These restorations are surgically placed in your jaw to function more like natural teeth, so they're often considered the ideal way to rebuild smiles.