Sometimes the best way to protect your smile is to remove a tooth that can’t be saved. A badly damaged tooth, an infected tooth, or a wisdom tooth with no room to come in can cause pain and put your other teeth at risk. At Coastal Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry, Dr. Cappy Sinclair and Dr. Mark Reichley handle general dentistry extractions carefully, with your comfort as the first priority. If you’re anxious about the appointment, we offer IV sedation with a local anesthesiologist who comes to our Virginia Beach office.
When Does a Tooth Need to Come Out?
We try to save teeth whenever we can. A tooth that can be repaired with a crown, a filling, or a root canal usually should be. But sometimes removing a tooth is the safer choice.
You may need an extraction if you have:
- A tooth that’s broken or fractured below the gumline and can’t be repaired
- A tooth with an infection that doesn’t respond to treatment
- Severe decay that has destroyed too much of the tooth
- Advanced gum disease that has loosened a tooth
- A tooth crowding your other teeth, sometimes ahead of orthodontic treatment
- A wisdom tooth that’s impacted, infected, or pushing on neighboring teeth
Dr. Sinclair or Dr. Reichley will examine the tooth, take digital X-rays, and show you what’s going on. If the tooth can be saved, they’ll tell you. If it can’t, they’ll explain why and talk with you about what comes next, including options for replacing it.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, usually show up in the late teens or early twenties. Some people have room for them and never have a problem. Many people don’t. When a wisdom tooth can’t come through the gum properly, it’s called impacted, and that’s when trouble tends to start.
Problems we see with wisdom teeth include:
- Pain or swelling in the back of the mouth
- Infection around a partially erupted tooth
- Damage to the tooth in front of it
- Cysts or other issues around the impacted tooth
- Crowding that can undo orthodontic work
Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out. We’ll look at yours on an X-ray and tell you honestly whether it should stay or go. If it needs to come out, we’ll explain the procedure and what recovery looks like so there are no surprises.
What to Expect During an Extraction at Our Virginia Beach Office
Most extractions are simpler than people expect. Here’s the general flow.
- First, we numb the area. We use local anesthesia to make sure you don’t feel pain during the procedure. If you’re having a simple extraction, that may be all you need.
- Next, we remove the tooth. For a tooth that has erupted normally, we loosen it and lift it out. For an impacted wisdom tooth or a broken-off tooth, we may need to remove some bone or section the tooth into pieces to get it out safely. This sounds worse than it is. It’s a controlled, careful process, and we’ll explain what we’re doing as we go.
- Then we clean and close the site. We’ll clean the socket and, if needed, place a stitch. You’ll leave with care instructions and a plan for any follow-up.
- After that, we talk about what’s next. If the tooth was in the back of your mouth, you may not need to replace it. If it was a visible or chewing tooth, we’ll discuss options like an implant, a bridge, or a partial denture. Removing a tooth without a plan to replace it can let neighboring teeth shift over time, so it’s worth thinking about early.
Nervous About the Appointment? IV Sedation Is Available
Dental anxiety is common, and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Some people have had a bad experience in the past. Some have a strong gag reflex. And some just can’t relax in a dental chair, no matter how gentle the team is. If any of that sounds familiar, we can help.
Our Virginia Beach dental office offers IV sedation for patients who need it. A local anesthesiologist comes to our Virginia Beach office to administer the sedation and monitor you throughout the procedure. That means you don’t need a referral to another office or a hospital to get this level of comfort. You’ll be in a familiar setting with our team, and a trained anesthesiologist will be watching over you the entire time.
IV sedation is different from nitrous oxide or a pill. It works quickly, it’s adjustable, and most patients remember very little of the appointment. You’ll need a ride home afterward and someone to stay with you for a while, and we’ll go over all the details with you before your procedure.
If you think sedation might help you get the care you’ve been putting off, tell us when you call. We’ll talk through whether it’s right for you.
Recovery After an Extraction
Most people are surprised by how manageable recovery is. You’ll have some soreness and swelling, especially in the first day or two, and it tends to ease from there.
A few things that help:
- Follow the aftercare instructions we send home with you
- Use any prescribed pain relief as directed
- Stick to soft foods for a day or two
- Avoid straws, smoking, and vigorous rinsing for the first few days, since these can dislodge the clot that protects the healing socket
- Keep the area clean without scrubbing it
If you have heavy bleeding, increasing pain after a few days, a fever, or swelling that gets worse instead of better, call us. Those can be signs of a problem that needs attention.
Why Choose Coastal Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry for an Extraction
Dr. Reichley brings a surgical background to the practice. He earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and served four years as a U.S. Navy Dental Officer. He’s a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and has completed advanced training at the Kois Center, the Nobel Institute, and the Pikos Institute. That training matters when a tooth is complicated to remove or when you’re planning an implant to replace it.
Dr. Sinclair is an Accredited Dentist of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and brings an eye for how your smile will look once treatment is done. He leads a study club that teaches other dentists the functional and cosmetic principles he learned at the Dawson Academy.
Together, they’ve built a practice where the whole plan stays under one roof. If a tooth comes out and you want an implant later, you won’t have to start over somewhere else.
Common Questions About Tooth Extraction
Does an extraction hurt?
We numb the area before we start, so you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure. Pressure is normal. Soreness afterward is expected and usually manageable with over-the-counter pain relief.
How long does it take?
A simple extraction can take a few minutes. A surgical extraction, like an impacted wisdom tooth, takes longer. We’ll give you a realistic estimate before we begin.
Can I drive myself home?
If you have only local anesthesia, you can usually drive yourself home. If you have IV sedation, no. You’ll need someone to drive you home and stay with you for a while.
Will I need to replace the tooth?
It depends on which tooth it is. Back teeth are sometimes left as they are. Front teeth and main chewing teeth usually should be replaced to keep your bite even. We’ll talk through your options.
Schedule an Extraction Consultation in Virginia Beach
If you have a tooth that’s been hurting, a wisdom tooth that’s causing trouble, or you’ve been told a tooth needs to come out, come see us. We’ll take a look, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next. If anxiety has kept you away from the dentist, ask about IV sedation. It may be what finally makes the appointment manageable.
Coastal Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry is at 919 First Colonial Rd., Suite A, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, in the new building behind the new Aldi. We’re open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 3 PM, and we welcome patients from Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
Call 757-656-6368 or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sinclair or Dr. Reichley.