Atraumatic Extraction Treatment by Dr. Stephanie Sfiroudis DDS, MS

Tooth extractions often result in the loss of some of your jawbone along with the tooth. The gap left behind may also cause a chain reaction of shifts in your other teeth that result in changes in the structure of your mouth that can be unexpected as well as unwanted. When Dr. Sfiroudis removes a tooth, she employs a technique called atraumatic extraction, which helps to preserve the socket for a dental implant and helps to prevent dramatic structural changes and also minimizes pain. The procedure involves as little bone removal as possible as well a customized treatment plan to make the process effective and as painless as possible. Contact Dr. Stephanie Sfiroudis for a free consultation.

What Is Atraumatic Extraction And Socket Preservation?

Tooth extraction is when your entire tooth is removed from its socket in your jawbone, root and all. Broken teeth that can't be repaired need to be extracted to prevent infection as well and stop pain. If your tooth becomes infected from a condition such as periodontal disease it may also need to come out because of discomfort or because it cannot be saved with other treatments options. Tooth extraction is minimally invasive, but extraction techniques have evolved a great deal over the years.

Atraumatic extraction is quick, painless and much better for your jaw than older, conventional extraction methods. An atraumatic extraction with socket preservation is the ideal type of extraction if you are planning on replacing your lost tooth with a dental implant. This newer extraction method makes it possible to insert the implant immediately after your tooth is removed.

The extraction site is perfect for the implantation surgery for the metal post that will hold the prosthetic tooth. The extraction site and implant site will heal at the same time, which cuts down on the length of time required for the dental implant process.

Why Is Atraumatic Extraction Important?

Extracting a tooth is usually a last resort because of the sometimes unpredictable effects that tooth loss can have on the structure of your mouth. Tooth extractions are also infamous for being painful and unpleasant, so many patients are wary of them for that reason as well. The loss of a tooth not only affects your appearance, but it can affect how you talk, can interfere with chewing and your other teeth are going to shift in order to compensate for it. The shifting of your remaining teeth can have a number of repercussions from completely altering the shape of your mouth to causing more bone loss.

Atraumatic extraction treatment techniques help to prevent bone loss and many of the other negative side effects that can follow the removal of a tooth. It is also much less painful than conventional removal techniques. Bone loss actually makes your remaining teeth weaker, loose and more inclined to be lost as well. When a lot of bone has to be removed during the extraction of a tooth, it can make it more difficult to replace the tooth with a prosthetic dental implant. Implants are one of the best ways to maintain your appearance after an extraction, but some extractions can make an implant impossible because not enough bone is left for the post.

Atraumatic extraction in Nassau County by Dr. Sfiroudis aims to keep dental implants a viable option by saving as much of your jawbone as possible with socket preservation. This socket preservation method is one of the most important parts of extraction to help prepare your jaw for a prosthetic replacement tooth immediately following extraction as well as in the future. It also helps to prevent your other teeth from shifting even if you do not seek an implant. This protects your other teeth and maintains your jaw's structure.

About The Process

Atraumatic extraction is gentle and surprisingly fast. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area while a special instrument is used to apply steady force to the tooth being removed. It takes 30 seconds to a minute to disengage the tooth from the socket without causing damage to the jawbone. A different instrument is then used to lift the tooth from the socket. In many cases the implant can then be added immediately and there is no need for any healing time between procedures.

Conventional extraction techniques often involved prying. This sometimes jarred neighboring teeth and also damaged the jawbone causing pieces of it to come off along with the root of the tooth. This method also resulted in much more significant pain and a longer recovery period after the procedure.

Recovery Time

Recovery following an atraumatic tooth extraction will vary depending upon whether or not you also get an immediate implantation. Implants take several months to completely heal because the jawbone needs to grow to the metal post to create the most secure foundation for your new tooth. The healing time of an atraumatic extraction alone is only about two weeks.

Pain is usually mild and can be handled with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. These medicines will also help with any swelling at the extraction site. The procedure is an outpatient one and you can also typically get back to your daily routine the following day. If you choose to get an immediate implant then you may be prescribed pain relief medications along with antibiotics, but the procedure is still an outpatient one and pain is easily managed thanks to these reliable procedures.

Free Consultation

If you have concerns about having a tooth removed or you plan to get an implant following an extraction then Contact Dr. Stephanie Sfiroudis and ask about atraumatic extraction in Nassau County. Schedule a free consultation today to find out more about the importance of socket preservation. To make the entire process even less painful the office will take care of any of your insurance paperwork. Most all insurance programs are accepted and there are also financing programs for those that qualify.