When Is Extraction Needed?
- Badly decayed tooth — when decay has destroyed so much tooth structure that restoration is not possible.
- Failed root canal — a tooth that has not responded to or is not suitable for pulpectomy.
- Over-retained baby tooth — a baby tooth that has not fallen out and is blocking or delaying the eruption of the permanent tooth.
- Orthodontic extraction — when the dental arch is crowded and braces or aligners require space to be created.
- Dental abscess with spreading infection — when an infection cannot be drained and controlled with the tooth in place.
What to Expect
The area is numbed with a topical anaesthetic gel before the injection so the child does not feel the needle. We wait until the tooth is completely numb before starting. The tooth is loosened gently with an instrument called an elevator, then removed with forceps. The whole process is calm and unhurried — we work at the child's pace.
A gauze pad is placed to control bleeding. The socket heals within one to two weeks. If a baby tooth is removed early, a space maintainer is placed to hold room for the permanent tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We use local anaesthesia to completely numb the area before extraction. The child may feel pressure but not pain. For highly anxious children, nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) makes the entire appointment relaxed and comfortable.
Not always. If the permanent tooth is already erupting or the baby tooth was lost at the naturally expected time, a maintainer may not be needed. We take an X-ray to assess how far along the permanent tooth is and advise accordingly.