Dentist Wants Me to Extract a Baby Tooth
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
I am in 9th grade and still have a baby tooth. There is a tooth underneath it that is trying to come out. It’s not coming out the right way, though. It’s pushing out the side of my gums. I went to see my dentist and he said that I should have the baby tooth extracted.
Can you tell me what would happen if I didn’t pull it? If I have to pull it, can you tell me if it will hurt a lot? I am a bit afraid of needles.
Callie Anne
Dear Anne,
I am very glad you wrote. You are also very mature for your age. I’m impressed by your questions and that you sought out answers. I wish all of my adult patients where as inquisitive as you.
You will need to extract the baby tooth. Standard procedure is that as soon as the adult tooth starts to erupt, if your baby tooth is not loose, then a pediatric dentist will need to help your tooth out. If the baby tooth is not taken out of the path of the adult tooth, then the adult tooth will end up getting quite crooked and you will need braces to straighten it out.
I realize that the idea of having a tooth removed sounds frightening, but it is not nearly as bad as you are imagining. In fact, removing a baby tooth is much easier than removing an adult tooth, which has deep roots. Most people don’t even feel the injection. However, if you are a very nervous patient, then I recommend that you ask your dentist for some dental sedation, like nitrous oxide. This will relax you and make it much easier for the numbing medication to do its job.
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