Tooth Extraction in Chicago, IL

What a tooth extraction at AAP Dental includes

A tooth extraction at AAP Dental includes an examination with a digital X-ray of the root and surrounding bone, a review of your medical history, local anesthetic, removal of the tooth, placement of gauze or a stitch, written aftercare instructions, and a plan for replacing the tooth when it is not a wisdom tooth.

• X-ray and assessment: the X-ray shows the root shape, the nerve position, and the sinus, which decides whether the extraction is simple or surgical.
• Anesthetic: the tooth and surrounding gum are numbed with local anesthetic. A topical gel numbs the injection site first.
• Removal: a simple extraction loosens and lifts the tooth with instruments. A surgical extraction opens the gum and sometimes divides the tooth to remove it in sections.
• Socket care: the socket is cleaned, gauze is placed for 30 to 45 minutes, and a stitch is used when the gum was opened.
• Replacement plan: a dental implant, bridge, or removable denture is discussed, because neighboring teeth drift into a gap within months.

Tooth extraction types at AAP Dental

AAP Dental performs 3 types of tooth extraction, and the type depends on how much of the tooth is above the gum and how the roots are shaped.

Dr. Eduard Vernovsky, DDS performs wisdom teeth extractions and treats wisdom tooth problems, broken teeth, and dental emergencies at AAP Dental. Dr. Vernovsky refers deeply impacted wisdom teeth close to the nerve to an oral surgeon.

Tooth extraction cost and insurance

Tooth extraction cost depends on the type, because a surgical or wisdom tooth extraction takes longer and may need stitches, and most traditional dental insurance plans cover a percentage of extractions as a basic or major service.

AAP Dental accepts most traditional dental insurance plans and does not participate in HMO plans. Payment options include CareCredit financing, flexible payment plans, cash, checks, and credit cards. AAP Dental accepts CareCredit for emergency extractions so treatment starts without delay.

What a tooth extraction treats and the results to expect

A tooth extraction treats severe decay, a fractured root, an abscessed tooth that a root canal cannot save, advanced gum disease with bone loss, impacted wisdom teeth, and crowding before orthodontics, and the result is relief from pain and infection within 24 to 48 hours, with the socket closing over 1 to 2 weeks and the bone filling in over 3 to 6 months.

• Toothache from an abscess ends once the source of infection is removed and any antibiotic course is completed.
• Swelling from a wisdom tooth infection resolves within a week of removal.
• Crowding caused by erupting wisdom teeth stops when the teeth are removed before they push the arch.
• A removed tooth is replaced with an implant, bridge, or denture to keep chewing balanced and the neighboring teeth upright.

Who needs a tooth extraction

A tooth extraction suits patients with a tooth that cannot be restored by a tooth-colored filling, a dental crown, or a root canal, and patients whose wisdom teeth are impacted or causing repeated infection. Saving the tooth is always preferred when the root and bone are sound, because a natural tooth outlasts any replacement.

Patients taking blood thinners, patients with heart valve conditions, and patients who have taken bisphosphonates need coordination with their physician before an extraction, because those conditions change bleeding and healing. Patients who feel nervous are welcome to discuss their concerns with the team before the visit.

Before, during, and after a tooth extraction

Tooth Extractions at AAP Dental follows 3 stages: preparation, the visit itself, and aftercare, and each stage has its own instructions below.

Before the tooth extraction

Eat a light meal 1 to 2 hours before the visit, because the mouth is numb for 2 to 4 hours afterward. Take prescribed antibiotics as directed, and arrange a ride home before a wisdom tooth extraction.

During the tooth extraction

1. The dentist reviews the X-ray and numbs the tooth with local anesthetic.
2. The tooth is loosened with an elevator and removed with forceps, or the gum is opened and the tooth is sectioned for a surgical extraction.
3. The socket is cleaned and gauze is placed. Stitches are added when needed.
4. The visit takes 20 to 60 minutes, and you bite on gauze for 30 to 45 minutes to form the clot.

After the tooth extraction

Keep the clot in place: no straws, smoking, spitting, or rinsing for 24 hours, because losing the clot causes a dry socket, which is the most common complication and occurs most often between days 2 and 5. Eat soft foods for 2 to 3 days, apply ice for 20 minutes at a time on the first day, and take over-the-counter pain relief as directed. Soreness peaks at 48 to 72 hours and resolves within 7 to 10 days.

Tooth extraction vs root canal

A tooth extraction differs from a root canal by outcome: a root canal removes the infected nerve and keeps the tooth, while an extraction removes the whole tooth and requires a replacement. Choose a root canal and crown when enough tooth and root remain, and choose an extraction when the tooth is fractured below the gum, has lost most of its bone support, or cannot be restored.

Why choose AAP Dental for tooth extraction in Chicago

• Dr. Eduard Vernovsky, DDS, a Northwestern University Dental School graduate, performs wisdom teeth extractions and treats broken teeth and dental emergencies.
• The extraction and the replacement tooth are planned at one Harlem Avenue office, where Dr. Myung Jin Nam, DDS restores implants and dentures with prosthodontics training.
• Digital X-rays show the root and nerve position before the tooth is removed.
• CareCredit is accepted for emergencies, and Saturday hours run until 4:00 PM.

Tooth extraction near Harlem Avenue: location and hours

AAP Dental Group sits at 5037 N Harlem Ave, Chicago, IL 60656, at the corner of Harlem Avenue and Foster Avenue on the Northwest Side. Patients come from Norwood Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Edison Park, and Park Ridge, all within 15 minutes of the office. Weekday hours at AAP Dental run Monday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Wednesday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and Thursday and Friday 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM. Saturday hours run 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and the office closes on Sunday. Call (773) 763-3600 for a same-week visit when a tooth breaks or abscesses.

Tooth Extractions questions

Tooth Extractions patients at AAP Dental Group ask these 5 questions most often, and each answer below is the dentist’s short reply.