Extraction
Permanent teeth were meant to last a lifetime, but life doesn’t always go according to plan. Whenever possible, our goal is simple: keep your natural teeth in your mouth where they belong. Sometimes, however, teeth are too crowded, damaged, or diseased to be saved. If a tooth is endangering your health, we can extract it safely.
Reasons for extraction can range from making room for teeth to erupt or for orthodontic treatment, gum disease that has loosened or weakened the tooth beyond safety, or infection that cannot be solved by root canal or antibiotics.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually appear after the jaw has stopped growing (between the ages of 17 and 21). As a result, the mouth and jaw are usually too small to accommodate them. Wisdom teeth are usually extracted for comfort and safety.
An impacted tooth is one that cannot break through the gums. If you have a small-boned jaw structure, you’re more likely to have impacted wisdom teeth. If you suspect you have an impacted tooth, you should contact Life Dentistry right away.
Bone Grafting for Dental Implants
If Dr. Duff determines your jawbone is not sturdy enough to successfully support a dental implant, he may recommend a bone grafting procedure (which he can perform right here in-house). A bone graft strengthens the jaw, creating a strong foundation for the permanent tooth replacement solution of a titanium implant.
Bone grafting takes considerable time to complete. Dr. Duff grafts special material onto your jawbone, and you wait—usually several months—while the graft creates enough new, strong bone to ensure the implant will be secure.
Once the bone graft is complete, Dr. Duff will assess the situation and decide how to proceed. Every situation is a little different in terms of time requirements and other determining factors, and the optimal result is a successful implant.
Implant placement is performed by Dr. Duff in-office as well. (For more about dental implants, please see our dental implants page.) Once the implant post has been surgically placed, it will also require time to heal and eventually be completed with a beautiful crown restoration.
