When most dental patients are asked to mention the thing that they dislike the most about attending dental check-ups, one aspect comes out on top every time; the sound of the drill.
While there are now soundless drills or even lasers to take the place of this infamous piece of equipment, these are fairly recent developments and many people have had the fear of their dental surgery put into them at a young age due to that whirring sound!
Is this an issue? It can be, especially if during your check-up our team discovers that you could benefit from a filling but due to concerns you ask us for an extraction.
While our dentist in Wagga Wagga will aim to accommodate your requests at all times, our team at Kooringal Dental want to preserve your teeth and your smile, which rarely involves extracting them. With our laser dentistry, it is now possible for our team to remove offending decay and fill your tooth without any drill intervention at all, making the process easier on your nerves (and your ears!)
Still not convinced about the benefits of a filling versus an extraction? In this article, our dentist in Wagga Wagga discusses key areas of both procedures to help you determine which is best for you.
Time in the chair
Of the 2 procedures, it is likely that an extraction will take longer, especially if the tooth requires a large filling or a crown.
However, our dentist in Wagga Wagga is able to remove decay without a drill thanks to our laser-based procedures, which can also be of assistance in an extraction, accelerating both processes.
But after an extraction, it is likely that there will be bleeding, making it tough to carry on your day as normal afterwards.
Maintenance
Once a filling is in, you will need to keep an eye out for signs of looseness, such as discomfort or sensitivity.
If you have an extraction, you will need to keep the site clean to ensure that it doesn’t get infected for 2 weeks following the tooth removal.
Functionality
With our composite fillings, your tooth will look and feel like normal post-procedure, allowing the tooth to function as it did before.
With an extraction, the tooth is removed and can cause issues with your bite strength and chewing ability, leading to secondary issues such as acid reflux or indigestion. Also, if the extracted tooth is located at the front of your mouth, this can create aesthetic issues.
Complications
Fillings can fall out or become loose, potentially leading to discomfort but there should be no secondary issues if it is caught early enough.
Extractions can lead to infections, dry socket and even surrounding teeth becoming misaligned.
Long-term
If maintained with regular dental check-ups, fillings have a good lifespan and of course, extractions do too (obviously!).
But extractions can cause your surrounding teeth to destabilize and move out of alignment, causing problems with not only bite strength and precision but also aesthetic issues too.
DISCLAIMER
All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.
