Extractions are always our last resort at Quentin Smile Dental. When a tooth is simply unrestorable and has poor long-term prognosis an extraction is recommended.

Extractions are achieved under ample amount of anesthesia. Once a tooth is extracted there are multiple options given to replace it. The first option is to always do nothing. That is always an option. However, if nothing is done, teeth will tend to drift into contact and this may cause malocclusion (improper bite) which may eventually lead to gum recession, foot pocketing, and decay.

The second options is to place an immediate implant or plan for a bridge. Come for a consultation to discuss pros and cons of each in your particular case.

The third option after extraction if you are not a candidate for immediate implant placement is to place a bone graft. This is usually done to prepare the site for an implant. A bone graft is either allograft (processed cadaver bone) or xenograft (usually bovine bone). These grafts act as scaffolds for existing bone to grow into. At Quentin Smile Dental we use top of the industry bone grafting materials. This procedure of bone grafting is known as "socket preservation". Without grafting, bone will resorb to the point where an implant cannot be placed. A bone graft provides ample room for the future implant to be placed. It generally takes up to 3-4 months to fully heal prior to implant placement.