Tooth Extractions
Prioritizing Your Comfort and Health.
At Spray Lake Dental, our primary goal is always to save your natural teeth. However, there are times when an extraction is the healthiest choice to stop infection or prepare for a new smile. We understand that the thought of having a tooth pulled can be stressful. That is why Dr. Cheba, Dr. Nonkovic, and our team focus on minimizing your anxiety. We use modern anesthetic techniques and offer sedation options to ensure your procedure is efficient, calm, and virtually pain-free.
Reasons for Tooth Removal
While we explore every restorative option first, an extraction may be recommended in the following situations:
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Severe Decay or Infection: When a tooth is too damaged to be saved by a filling or root canal.
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Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Third molars that are stuck under the gum or damaging neighboring teeth.
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Advanced Gum Disease: When the supporting bone is lost and the tooth becomes very loose.
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Orthodontic Crowding: Removing a tooth to create space for straightening the rest of your smile.
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Fractured Teeth: Teeth broken below the gumline due to trauma or injury.
Relax Through Your Procedure
If you are nervous about your extraction, you are not alone—and you don’t have to “white knuckle” your way through it. At Spray Lake Dental, we offer a full range of sedation options to ensure your experience is calm and positive.
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Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas): A light, breathable sedation that helps you relax instantly but wears off quickly, so you can drive yourself home.
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Oral Sedation: A prescription pill taken before your appointment that creates a deeper state of relaxation and drowsiness.
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IV Sedation: Ideal for wisdom teeth or high anxiety, this option allows you to “doze” through the entire appointment with little to no memory of the procedure afterward.
Simply ask us during your consultation and we will help you choose the right level of comfort for your needs.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
Consultation & X-Rays
We take digital images to see the position of the tooth roots and plan the safest removal method.
Total Numbing
We apply a strong local anesthetic to completely freeze the area. You will feel pressure, but you should not feel pain.
Gentle Removal
Using specialized instruments, the dentist carefully loosens and lifts the tooth. For wisdom teeth, we may need to remove it in smaller sections to keep the site small and clean.
Recovery Planning
We place a small gauze pack to help healing begin and provide you with clear, simple aftercare instructions before you leave.
Tooth Extraction & Wisdom Teeth FAQs
We know you might have questions about your visit, and we believe clarity is key to comfort. Whether you’re curious about insurance or what happens during an exam, our team is here to help you feel fully prepared for your appointment.
Do I have to be awake for the procedure?
This is entirely up to you and your comfort level. For simple extractions, many patients are fine with just local freezing (numbing). However, if you are anxious or having impacted wisdom teeth removed, we offer sedation options. You can choose oral sedation to feel drowsy and relaxed, or IV sedation to “doze” through the appointment and have little to no memory of it afterward. We will help you decide the best option during your consultation.
Do I really need to have my wisdom teeth removed if they don't hurt?
Not necessarily, but we often recommend it as a preventative measure. Wisdom teeth are frequently removed because they are impacted (stuck), hard to clean, or crowding other teeth. Even if they don’t hurt now, they can cause serious cysts, infections, or damage to your molars down the road. If your wisdom teeth are healthy and have enough room to grow in straight, you may be able to keep them.
How do I avoid getting "Dry Socket"?
Dry socket happens when the healing blood clot is dislodged from the extraction site. To prevent this, follow the “No Suction” rule for the first 72 hours: no smoking, no vaping, and no drinking through a straw. The suction from these actions can pull the clot out. Also, avoid vigorous spitting or rinsing for the first day. Keeping the clot in place is the key to a fast, pain-free recovery.
When can I eat normal food again?
You should stick to a “no-chew” diet of soft foods like yogurt, smoothies (spoon only!), and mashed potatoes for the first 24 to 48 hours. As the numbness wears off and healing begins, you can gradually introduce soft solid foods like scrambled eggs and pasta. Most patients return to their normal diet within a week, but you should avoid crunchy or sharp foods (like chips or nuts) near the extraction site for at least two weeks.
How long will my face be swollen?
Swelling is a normal part of the healing process, especially for wisdom teeth removal. It typically peaks on the second or third day after surgery and then begins to subside. To manage it, apply an ice pack to your cheek for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, during the first 24 hours. Keeping your head elevated while sleeping also helps minimize swelling.
