Cavities are the leading cause of tooth extraction and tooth loss. Keep your smile healthy at home to avoid tooth decay and save your teeth!
To begin the tooth extraction process, Dr. Kirkegaard will clean the area and numb your mouth to ensure you feel no pain or discomfort. We also offer sedation options to further increase your comfort throughout your procedure.
If you are getting a basic or “simple,” extraction, Dr. Kirkegaard will use special tools to loosen the tooth and prepare it for removal. Then, when it’s been loosened sufficiently, he will pull it out with a pair of dental forceps.
Surgical extractions are required for teeth that have not fully erupted. In this process, Dr. Kirkegaard will make a small opening in the gums near your tooth. Then, he will cut the tooth into pieces and remove it through this opening.
Once your tooth has been extracted, the surgical site will be disinfected and sutured to ensure proper healing. You’ll be sent home with a set of recovery instructions to follow as your mouth heals from treatment.
Basic or “simple” extractions are used for teeth that have fully emerged from your mouth. They are most often used for teeth that have been irreversibly damaged by decay, gum disease, or an oral injury. However, they may also sometimes be used to remove a tooth to prepare for a dental prosthetic like a dental implant or a denture.
The wisdom teeth are a natural part of our mouths. This set of 4 molars grows in from the age of 17-25 in most people. The problem is that lots of patients just don’t have enough room in their mouths for another set of teeth.
Because of this, wisdom teeth can damage the surrounding teeth and cause lots of complications as they start to erupt. This is why tooth extraction is often recommended for wisdom teeth. Removing them gives you peace of mind and prevents further oral health issues.
This refers to wisdom teeth that have not fully erupted. Impacted wisdom teeth are particularly troublesome, because they often grow into the mouth sideways or create flaps of gum tissue that lead to a higher likelihood of gum and tooth infections.
This type of tooth is also harder to extract. If one or more of your teeth are impacted, a surgical extraction procedure will be required to restore your smile, as outlined in the “Understanding The Tooth Extraction Process” section of this page.
Extraction is necessary whenever Dr. Kirkegaard recommends it. We provide conservative dentistry at The Art of Dentistry, and we will only recommend extracting your tooth if there are no other solutions to your oral health challenges. Contact us now to see if an extraction in Overland Park is right for you.
About 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and nearly 40 million Americans have lost all their teeth.
If you’re interested in dental implants as an option to replace your missing teeth, the first step is to get a consultation from your dentist. They’ll be able to examine your mouth and determine the state of your oral health, the health of your jaw and gums, and whether implants are right for you. They can also help guide you on alternative treatment options if you are not a good candidate for dental implants.
A dental implant is made of two parts: a small, screw-shaped piece of titanium called the post, and the restoration, which is usually a dental crown and abutment. Posts are manufactured in a variety of pre-selected sizes to ensure each patient gets the right implant for their needs. In contrast, the restoration is completely custom-made. After your dentist places your dental implant, they will take impressions of your teeth and send them to a dental lab.
There, a technician will create a long-lasting, durable dental implant restoration out of porcelain or another high-quality material. This restoration will be sent back to our office, and it will be attached to your dental implant, completing your implant procedure.
Dental implants typically last up to 30 years or more with proper placement and care. In fact, it’s very common for patients to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.
However, the dental implant restoration, such as a dental crown or set of overdentures, usually will not last this long. Your restoration is exposed to regular wear and tear from chewing, biting, and more, and may need to be replaced a few times over the years.
It is possible for dental implants to become infected. This is known as “peri-implantitis.” However, this is a very rare complication, and it typically only occurs if the implant is not cared for and kept clean after surgery.
You can avoid peri-implantitis by following your dentist’s instructions while recovering, and by brushing and flossing regularly after your implant has healed.
Yes. Bone loss occurs when your jaw bone is no longer stimulated by the natural pressure of chewing and biting. Your tooth transmits this force through the root and into your jaw bone, which keeps your jaw bone healthy.
When you lose a tooth, this process stops, and the jaw bone tends to weaken. Since the post of the dental implant is placed directly into the jaw bone and acts as a tooth root, it restimulates your jaw bone by transmitting the force of chewing and biting once again.
Some types of dental implant systems can be done in one day. The restoration is usually temporary until you have fully healed from your dental implant placement surgery. This solution allows you to speak and eat normally, however, the restoration is temporary.
As your mouth heals, you’ll attend appointments at your doctor’s office where impressions will be taken. These impressions will guide the manufacturing of your restoration. This permanent restoration will be a more durable, long-lasting, and natural-looking prosthetic than your temporaries.
Dental implants are the only restorative option that preserves and stimulates your natural bone structure.