Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPreparationTypesRisksHealing StagesAftercareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Preparation
Types
Risks
Healing Stages
Aftercare
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental extraction is the removal of adult teeth to take on issues liketooth decay, infection, orcrowding. The dentist or oral surgeon’s goal is to take out the entirety of the tooth—including its root—from its socket in the gums. This procedure is usually performed while you’re under localized or generalized anesthesia at a dentist’s office or clinic, and it’s generally painless and well-tolerated.
This article will give you a sense of how tooth extraction works, its risks, and what recovery is like afterward.
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Preparing for the Procedure
Prior to the procedure, you’ll need to undergodental evaluationandimagingto ensure that tooth pulling is the best way to go. Several dental issues call for dental extraction:
Once your dentist determines you need an extraction, they’ll need to go over your overall health status. Let them know about the medications you’re taking, your medical history, as well as current health status. Because they increase infection risk, tell them if you have or have had any of the following:
Types of Extractions
Simple Extraction
15 Remedies for Wisdom Tooth Pain Relief
Surgical Extraction
More complex cases requireoral surgery. Surgery may be needed for tooth impaction (when they grow in pointed at the wrong angle or without erupting from the gums) or when wisdom teeth need to come out. This work involves:
Extracting Wisdom Teeth
Risks of Dental Extraction
Complications of tooth extraction are rare. However, there are a number of risks associated with the procedure. These include:
What Is a Dry Socket?In most cases following a dental extraction, blood pools and clots, allowing the remaining gum and bone to heal.Dry socketis when that clot falls out of the socket before the healing is completed (within days of the procedure). This condition exposes nerves and bone, leading to pain and bad breath.
What Is a Dry Socket?
In most cases following a dental extraction, blood pools and clots, allowing the remaining gum and bone to heal.Dry socketis when that clot falls out of the socket before the healing is completed (within days of the procedure). This condition exposes nerves and bone, leading to pain and bad breath.
Recovery following a tooth extraction is gradual, and very much depends on the individual case. All told, it takes one to two weeks for the socket to heal, though sometimes it takes longer—up to a month or longer—for regrowth of the surrounding bone and complete recovery. This process can be broken down into three stages:
Aftercare for Dental Extraction
What’s most important after a tooth extraction is that you do what you can to ensure everything is healing properly. The most critical, and often uncomfortable, period in recovery is the first couple of days. You and your dentist will need to be vigilant throughout your recovery. Early on, here’s what you should keep in mind:
What can you do to ensure a full and complete recovery? Here’s a breakdown:
When to Call the Dentist
Throughout your recovery, it’ll be important for you to monitor your dental health, and several follow-up appointments will be necessary. Several signs prompt a call to your dentist or surgeon:
Also, contact your dentist if you develop dry socket symptoms such as:
Know When to Go to the Dentist or the ER for a Dental Emergency
Summary
Dental extraction is the clinical removal of a tooth or teeth. It’s used to treat a range of issues, such as tooth crowding, impaction, infection of the tooth, loose teeth due to gum disease, or damage due to trauma.
There are two types: simple extraction is performed under localized anesthesia, while surgical extraction—often involving reshaping of the surrounding bone—is more invasive and done under general anesthesia.
Care afterward requires managing symptoms, avoiding smoking and drinking, eating soft foods, and ensuring there are no complications.
A Word From Verywell
There’s no doubt that dental extraction can do a great deal for your smile. As with all such procedures, this work has both dental health and cosmetic benefits. If you’re experiencing tooth pain, gum loss, or other issues, you must act fast and get the help you need. The sooner a dentist is on the case, the better off you’ll be.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWith sufficient localized or general anesthesia, you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure. However, there’s always the pinch when the medications are injected, and some discomfort and tenderness are expected as you recover.Let your dentist or surgeon know if you’re experiencing excessive pain.Learn MoreThe 9 Most Common Dental ProblemsIn most cases, dental insurance will cover all or a portion of the costs of tooth extraction. Very much depends on your plan. Talk to your dentist or oral surgeon’s support staff about what’s covered; they may also be able to help figure out other ways to bring down costs or make payment manageable.Learn MoreBest Dental InsurancesAs your mouth heals, you’ll need to be very careful about what—and how—you eat. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to keep in mind:Start off with a mostly-liquid diet: blended soups, yogurt, and puddingDrink plenty of fluids, and avoid hot drinks or alcoholAs you recover and it’s comfortable, gradually re-introduce solid foodsAvoid using the affected tooth when chewingDon’t use a strawLearn MoreRecovery After Oral SurgeryHow much you pay for a dental extraction depends on the scope of the work needed, as well as your level of insurance coverage. Generally speaking, dental plans will cover all or part of the cost. Without insurance, the average cost of a simple extraction is $150 to $300 per tooth. For surgical extractions, this rises to a range of $225 to $2,300.Learn MoreWhere Can You Get Free or Low-Cost Dental Work?
With sufficient localized or general anesthesia, you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure. However, there’s always the pinch when the medications are injected, and some discomfort and tenderness are expected as you recover.Let your dentist or surgeon know if you’re experiencing excessive pain.Learn MoreThe 9 Most Common Dental Problems
With sufficient localized or general anesthesia, you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure. However, there’s always the pinch when the medications are injected, and some discomfort and tenderness are expected as you recover.Let your dentist or surgeon know if you’re experiencing excessive pain.
Learn MoreThe 9 Most Common Dental Problems
In most cases, dental insurance will cover all or a portion of the costs of tooth extraction. Very much depends on your plan. Talk to your dentist or oral surgeon’s support staff about what’s covered; they may also be able to help figure out other ways to bring down costs or make payment manageable.Learn MoreBest Dental Insurances
In most cases, dental insurance will cover all or a portion of the costs of tooth extraction. Very much depends on your plan. Talk to your dentist or oral surgeon’s support staff about what’s covered; they may also be able to help figure out other ways to bring down costs or make payment manageable.
Learn MoreBest Dental Insurances
As your mouth heals, you’ll need to be very careful about what—and how—you eat. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to keep in mind:Start off with a mostly-liquid diet: blended soups, yogurt, and puddingDrink plenty of fluids, and avoid hot drinks or alcoholAs you recover and it’s comfortable, gradually re-introduce solid foodsAvoid using the affected tooth when chewingDon’t use a strawLearn MoreRecovery After Oral Surgery
As your mouth heals, you’ll need to be very careful about what—and how—you eat. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to keep in mind:Start off with a mostly-liquid diet: blended soups, yogurt, and puddingDrink plenty of fluids, and avoid hot drinks or alcoholAs you recover and it’s comfortable, gradually re-introduce solid foodsAvoid using the affected tooth when chewingDon’t use a straw
As your mouth heals, you’ll need to be very careful about what—and how—you eat. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to keep in mind:
Learn MoreRecovery After Oral Surgery
How much you pay for a dental extraction depends on the scope of the work needed, as well as your level of insurance coverage. Generally speaking, dental plans will cover all or part of the cost. Without insurance, the average cost of a simple extraction is $150 to $300 per tooth. For surgical extractions, this rises to a range of $225 to $2,300.Learn MoreWhere Can You Get Free or Low-Cost Dental Work?
How much you pay for a dental extraction depends on the scope of the work needed, as well as your level of insurance coverage. Generally speaking, dental plans will cover all or part of the cost. Without insurance, the average cost of a simple extraction is $150 to $300 per tooth. For surgical extractions, this rises to a range of $225 to $2,300.
Learn MoreWhere Can You Get Free or Low-Cost Dental Work?
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Dental Association.Tooth extraction. ADA Patient Smart.MedlinePlus.Tooth extraction.Informed Health.Wisdom teeth: overview. NCBI Bookshelf.MedlinePlus.Dry socket.Cohen N, Cohen-Lévy J.Healing processes following tooth extraction in orthodontic cases.J Dentofacial Anom Orthod. 2014;17(3):304. doi:10.1051/odfen/2014006University of Michigan Health Michigan Medicine.Tooth extraction.NewMouth.Tooth extraction costs with & without insurance.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Dental Association.Tooth extraction. ADA Patient Smart.MedlinePlus.Tooth extraction.Informed Health.Wisdom teeth: overview. NCBI Bookshelf.MedlinePlus.Dry socket.Cohen N, Cohen-Lévy J.Healing processes following tooth extraction in orthodontic cases.J Dentofacial Anom Orthod. 2014;17(3):304. doi:10.1051/odfen/2014006University of Michigan Health Michigan Medicine.Tooth extraction.NewMouth.Tooth extraction costs with & without insurance.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Dental Association.Tooth extraction. ADA Patient Smart.MedlinePlus.Tooth extraction.Informed Health.Wisdom teeth: overview. NCBI Bookshelf.MedlinePlus.Dry socket.Cohen N, Cohen-Lévy J.Healing processes following tooth extraction in orthodontic cases.J Dentofacial Anom Orthod. 2014;17(3):304. doi:10.1051/odfen/2014006University of Michigan Health Michigan Medicine.Tooth extraction.NewMouth.Tooth extraction costs with & without insurance.
American Dental Association.Tooth extraction. ADA Patient Smart.
MedlinePlus.Tooth extraction.
Informed Health.Wisdom teeth: overview. NCBI Bookshelf.
MedlinePlus.Dry socket.
Cohen N, Cohen-Lévy J.Healing processes following tooth extraction in orthodontic cases.J Dentofacial Anom Orthod. 2014;17(3):304. doi:10.1051/odfen/2014006
University of Michigan Health Michigan Medicine.Tooth extraction.
NewMouth.Tooth extraction costs with & without insurance.
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