Pediatric Tooth Extractions – Coppell, TX

Why Your Child Might Require Tooth Extractions

There are several different reasons why your child may need to get one or multiple teeth extracted. While preserving their natural teeth is generally our main focus, this isn’t always a viable option, especially if they have a tooth that is beyond repair or may spread an infection to the rest of their mouth or body. For this reason, our team will reserve this procedure only as a last resort for protecting their oral health.

What the Process Is Like

The first step of the tooth extraction process involves your child’s dentist taking X-rays of their entire mouth to get a clearer look at their jawbone and tooth roots. Once they’ve developed a detailed plan on how to approach the situation, they’ll move forward by administering a local anesthetic to completely numb your little one’s mouth. This way your child will remain safe and pain-free throughout the procedure. We can even offer sedation dentistry to keep them as relaxed as possible during their visit. After verifying that your child is comfortable, our dentist will use specialized tools and techniques to wiggle the affected tooth carefully and accurately until it breaks free.

Supernumerary (Extra) Tooth Extractions

In many cases, children can have extra pearly whites known as supernumerary teeth as they develop. While this is normal, they can end up causing complications later on, such as normal teeth growing in unusual angles or becoming impacted (or stuck under the gums). To avoid orthodontic issues like overcrowded teeth and a misaligned bite, our team can simply remove these extra ones from causing trouble.

The process for this kind of tooth extraction is very similar to a typical tooth removal treatment. That said, if any supernumerary teeth are impacted or aren’t fully erupted from the gum line, then our dentist will need to perform extra steps in the procedure. They may have to make a small incision in the tissue or bone, or even divide the tooth into several parts to remove them one piece at a time. If this isn’t necessary, then they’ll simply wiggle the tooth until it comes out.

Aftercare Tips

After our team has extracted your little one’s tooth, you’ll want to help them practice certain precautions for a smooth and quick recovery, including:

• Have them gently bite down continuously on a clean gauze pad to help form a blood clot, which is essential for healing.
• Avoid rinsing their mouth until at least 24 hours after their treatment to not disturb the blood clot. Make sure they don’t spit or drink anything through a straw. After a day, they can gently rinse with saltwater.
• Get your child to take their prescribed or over-the-counter pain reliever to alleviate discomfort and use a cold compress to reduce any swelling.
• Have them stick to eating soft foods for several days following their treatment.
• Make sure they stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Understanding the Cost of Tooth Extractions

Does your child need a tooth extraction? This is never their dentist's first choice, but sometimes it is necessary to keep the rest of their smile healthy. During their visit with us, we will discuss the cost of their treatment in detail. Until then, here are some things to take into consideration.

Factors That Can Affect Tooth Extraction Costs

It’s difficult to determine the cost of your child’s extraction until our team has had the chance to examine their smile. Here are the main factors that will contribute:

• Number of teeth: The more teeth being extracted, the higher the cost.
• Complexity: The more complex the procedure, the longer it will take. This can add to the cost.
• Other Treatments: If your child needs another treatment in addition to their extraction, like a space maintainer, you should consider this cost as well.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Tooth Extractions?

Most dental insurance plans consider tooth extractions to be a major procedure, so about 50% of the procedure is covered after the deductible has been met. However, there could be limits in place or a waiting period before coverage kicks in, and every plan is different, so it is best to confirm this with your insurance company first. We would also be happy to help you with this process. Our practice is proud to be in-network with several major providers, and we welcome out-of-network providers as well.

How to Make Tooth Extractions Affordable

If your family doesn’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you are completely out of luck. By joining our in-house membership plan, you can save on treatments completed at our practice. This plan offers a lot of the same benefits as dental insurance without all of the red tape. We are also happy to accept payments through CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. To learn more about your financing options, don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly team members.