# Why do so many dentists not do extractions anymore?



## debodun (Apr 7, 2017)

I've been looking for an all-service dentist and can't find one within 20 miles. The one I go to now only does cleanings and check-ups. If she finds any problems, she refers you to another business. Years ago, all the dentists did cleanings (and they did them in person, not by a hygienist), drilled and did fillings, and even pulled teeth, if necessary. Why can't I find a one-stop dentist?


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## Falcon (Apr 7, 2017)

Some do and some don't.  Depends on their practice.  There are many who do nothing but extractions and they are
specialists.  Although my dentist did pull one of mine because he said it should come out NOW!  He did a good job and then sent me to an orthodontist  who filled in the space with braces.  Maybe they were in cahoots. Who knows?

Anyway things turned out well and I can still bite an apple and chew a steak.


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## Don M. (Apr 7, 2017)

Dentists are becoming just like Primary Care doctors....they do the routine stuff, but if a person needs an extraction, or a root canal, and even a crown, more and more dentists are specializing in these areas, and the neighborhood dentist does little more than routine cleanings, and fillings.  Dentists are going through a transition similar to what doctors have been doing.  There are Fewer Primary Care doctors every year, and More Specialists, and dentists are finding the financial advantages in running their "business" the same way.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Apr 7, 2017)

I think they all just want to make money. My sister in law needed to have 3 teeth extracted. She has been running from her regular dentist,to the surgeon, who put her on antibiotics before the extractions, so that took another two weeks. Then needed medical clearance from her regular doctor and has two appointments with another dentist weeks after the teeth are finally out to see what they are going to do to fill in the gap. They probably will hook on a few teeth to the existing good teeth that will go bad and then the whole thing will be useless.


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## Butterfly (Apr 7, 2017)

Nothing wrong with wanting to make money -- it's the reason I went to work every day for 50+ years.  According to a dentist I know, part of the reason is the cost of equipment, but most of the reason is people suing right and left, just like with doctors.  Some people need to be put on antibiotics before oral surgery because of heart problems or various other things -- I have to go on antibiotics before any dental work that might result in bleeding (this includes deep cleanings) because I have hip replacements and if bacteria got in my bloodstream it could attack the implants and I'd be SOL.  That's what my ortho guy directs and my dentist complies.  My sis, who has A-fib and a clotting disorder and assorted other things, has to have medical clearance before dental work.  They don't want her to croak in the chair.


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## Lon (Apr 7, 2017)

They will do extractions if you have a implant or bridge. There is no money to be made with just extractions.


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## nvtribefan (Apr 7, 2017)

I haven't had a dentist perform a cleaning in over 20 years. I didn't know any of them still did.


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## Ken N Tx (Apr 8, 2017)

Lon said:


> They will do extractions if you have a implant or bridge. There is no money to be made with just extractions.



The one I used, for my dentures, sent me to another dentist for the extractions!!


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## WhatInThe (Apr 8, 2017)

They want a production line/cookie cutter practice. Extractions are time and additional liability. And yes the specialists can frequently charge more for their 'specialty'. I was one referred to a place that specialized in root canals. They wanted double what the regular dentist wanted who admitted he didn't like doing it but still would if I wanted.


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## Mrs. Robinson (Apr 8, 2017)

You could always do like a guy in my husband`s shop did yesterday. He broke a tooth eating lunch,so he took a pair of pliers and yanked out the whole tooth! Now granted,the tooth must not have been very healthy if he was able to pull it out on his own,but OMG! Hubby doesn`t even know where the tooth was located because he just walked away when he heard what he had done-didn`t want to see it. This guy is only in his late 20s-early 30s. Dumb,dumb,dumb.


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## Don M. (Apr 8, 2017)

WhatInThe said:


> They want a production line/cookie cutter practice. Extractions are time and additional liability. And yes the specialists can frequently charge more for their 'specialty'. I was one referred to a place that specialized in root canals. They wanted double what the regular dentist wanted who admitted he didn't like doing it but still would if I wanted.



In some cases, a Dental Specialist may be a good thing.  I needed a root canal earlier this year, and my dentist....who is very good...recommended a specialist(he freely admitted that he didn't feel comfortable doing root canals).  I went to the specialist, and he had gobs of special equipment and does nothing but root canals.  He appears to have done a very good job, and other than a couple days of minor discomfort, it's as if I never had a problem.  He was a bit expensive, but the dental insurance covered about 80% of the cost, so my out-of-pocket costs were minimal.  I would rather pay a bit more and get the job done right, the first time.  I had a root canal several years ago...done by my regular dentist, and it was a on-going mess.  After about the 3rd visit back to him in 6 months, I had him just pull the root, and lost that tooth altogether.


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## NancyNGA (Apr 8, 2017)

Yeah, I went to a specialist for a root canal once because the dentist claimed the tooth had an "extra" root.   He had special equipment to do it with some sort of images, didn't have to poke around like they used to do.


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## maggiemae (Apr 10, 2017)

I have the BEST dentist!  She does her own cleanings, extractions, root canals!  She makes sure you are not uncomfortable with any procedure.  She also does not make you feel like you are a "low life" because you are not flossing properly!


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## debodun (Jun 11, 2017)

I am so tired of my dentist's inability to find the root cause of my problem (pun intended). I have been having problems with the upper and lower molars on the left side - pain if biting on something hard or even slightly solid (even a sunflower seed will hurt) and sensitivity to cold beverages and foods. I went a few days ago and she took some xrays. She said there was no visible problem - no decay or chipped fillings. It reminds me of that LifeLock commercial with the guy in a dentist chair with his mouth propped open and a man in a white coat says "That's the worst cavity I've ever seen!" and starts to walk away. The patient says "Well, aren't you going to fix it?" The fake dentist says " I'm not a dentist, I'm a dental monitor. I only TELL you if there's a problem."

Well, maybe I should see it as a blessing in disguise. Keeps me from eating ice cream and toffee candy.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 11, 2017)

debodun said:


> I am so tired of my dentist's inability to find the root cause of my problem (pun intended). I have been having problems with the upper and lower molars on the left side - pain if biting on something hard or even slightly solid (even a sunflower seed will hurt) and sensitivity to cold beverages and foods. I went a few days ago and she took some xrays. She said there was no visible problem - no decay or chipped fillings. ....



Deb, do you, or did your dentist ever ask you, if you grind or clench your teeth at night when you're sleeping?  That causes all kinds of problems, including sore teeth and jaws. Sometimes the only evidence of it is worn down teeth in certain spots.  Sometimes not even that, depends on the way each person's teeth fit together.  My dentist didn't think of it, until it went on so long you could see worn spots on my teeth.  It explained a lot of problems then.


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## Camper6 (Jun 11, 2017)

Where I live it's a specialy item now.  There's a lot to an extraction.  First of all pain is involved so there are medications to take and some people are allergic.  Then there is the risk of infection.

But the one I went to.  They actually phone you the next day and ask how you are doing?


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## Camper6 (Jun 11, 2017)

NancyNGA said:


> Deb, do you, or did your dentist ever ask you, if you grind or clench your teeth at night when you're sleeping?  That causes all kinds of problems, including sore teeth and jaws. Sometimes the only evidence of it is worn down teeth in certain spots.  Sometimes not even that, depends on the way each person's teeth fit together.  My dentist didn't think of it, until it went on so long you could see worn spots on my teeth.  It explained a lot of problems then.



Yes I know all about that.  It's called bruxism.  You have no idea you are doing it.  I ruined my teeth with it.


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## debodun (Jun 11, 2017)

NancyNGA said:


> Deb, do you, or did your dentist ever ask you, if you grind or clench your teeth at night when you're sleeping?



Kinda difficult to tell when I'm sleeping what I am doing. LOL


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## Camper6 (Jun 11, 2017)

debodun said:


> Kinda difficult to tell when I'm sleeping what I am doing. LOL



Apparently now you can program your fit bit or your i phone to record your sleep pattern.

My sister's fit bit tells her how many hours she slept.


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## Butterfly (Jun 11, 2017)

debodun, maybe your enamel is wearing thin?  Mine evidently is, and my dentist puts stuff on my teeth after he cleans them to help the problem.  The sensitivity to heat or cold (cold, especially) is usually a good indicator that that's what's going on.  I also use sensitive teeth toothpaste and some kind of mouthwash that's supposed to help protect enamel.


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## NancyNGA (Jun 12, 2017)

debodun said:


> Kinda difficult to tell when I'm sleeping what I am doing. LOL


True, but your dentist could probably tell from carefully checking tooth wear patterns.  

It was just a thought, trying to help you solve the tooth mystery.  Probably not that.


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## horseless carriage (Jan 12, 2021)

The title of this thread resonated with me. About fifty or so years ago, three things happened that stopped me having dental repair treatment. I quit smoking, I stopped having sugar in hot drinks and finally, our drinking water had added fluoride. The result was that I never needed a filling again. 

But tomorrow, it would be the 13th, I have to have a tooth extraction, two weeks later a second extraction will follow, both are wisdom teeth. Scardy-cat, me? Dead right I am, not my idea of a fun day.


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## hollydolly (Jan 12, 2021)

My husband has never had a tooth removed but he's got one broken now and it's beyond repair... so he's having it out next Monday, fortunately it's one at the back.

I've had all my wisom teeth out.. they were impacted.. the pain isn't having the tooth/teeth out so much as the soreness for a week after where you have to rinse with warm salt water several times a day


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## Buckeye (Jan 12, 2021)

Used to know a kiddy dentist who's motto was "drill 'em, fill 'em, and bill 'em".  He made a ton of money that way, but that was 30 or 40 years ago...


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## Damaged Goods (Jan 12, 2021)

My primary dentist is an orthodontist.  For root canals, he refers me to an endodontist and she is good.

Someone here mentioned "cahoots."  I believe I was a cahoot victim once.  A previous orthodontist showed me an x-ray of my four wisdoms.  Now I cannot read x-rays but those four teeth didn't look anywhere near the gum line nor were they in contact with any other teeth.  He acted as if I were in grave peril, from a dental perspective.

I had no symptoms, was age 40, and he had never mentioned anything about wisdom teeth in the previous 10 years I saw him.  Yet he rushed me that same day to his specialist who yanked all four of them within three hrs.


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## charry (Jan 12, 2021)

They make more money , by keep filling them, .....


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