You’re in Good Hands with Our Team

Tooth Extractions

While our primary goal is to keep your natural teeth healthy (and in your mouth!) for as long as possible, sometimes an extraction is in your best interest. We will be sure to exhaust all other potential treatment options in an attempt to save the tooth before resorting to an extraction.

You may need an extraction if you have a tooth that is:

• Badly broken or decayed
• Badly infected
• Loose due to gum disease
• Causing excessive crowding
• Impacted wisdom tooth

Today, having a tooth extracted is a fairly routine and painless procedure. We use either a local or general anesthetic, depending on your preferences, to ensure you don’t feel a thing, and the procedure will be over before you know it.

You may experience some pain and discomfort following the procedure, but your Pineville dentist can prescribe pain medication to make your recovery as quick and comfortable as possible.

Root Canals

The first thing you should know about root canals is that most root canals are not technically considered oral surgery because they don’t require scalpels and sutures. Root canals are the most common dental procedure performed – well over 14 million every year.

We know root canals have earned a bad rap over the years, but you should know that today, they are a fairly routine and painless procedures. Usually, a root canal is no more uncomfortable than having a cavity filled. The pain of an infected tooth left untreated is much worse than the pain of the root canal itself.

If you need a root canal, it means you have an infection within the pulp (collection of blood vessels) of the tooth. An infection within the pulp of a tooth can be caused by:

• Trauma
• Deep decay
• Cracks or chips
• Repeated dental procedures

Symptoms of an infected tooth include pain, swelling, and sensitivity to temperature.

Dr. Gauthier will first use a local anesthetic to make sure you are comfortable and don’t feel a thing. Once you are numb, he will make a small access hole in the tooth, through which he will use special instruments designed to remove the infection. Once the infection has been removed, he will sterilize and fill the chamber to prevent further infection. Finally, a root canal is typically finished with a porcelain crown to reinforce the tooth and restore it back to health.

Sedation & Anesthesia

Depending on the nature of your surgery, we will either use a local anesthetic to numb the area and perform the procedure while you are conscious, or we will use a general anesthetic to put you to sleep. With general anesthesia, you will need to arrange for transportation to and from your appointment.

We also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help patients feel more comfortable in the chair. We often combine nitrous sedation with a local anesthetic to help patients feel more comfortable. You should be able to drive yourself home after nitrous sedation, as the effects wear off quickly.