Tooth removal
A tooth is removed when it can't be repaired: it is broken below the gum, loose from gum disease or badly decayed. This page covers removals done here, usually for a tooth that will be replaced.
What happens
Usually one visit, then a few weeks of healing.
- 01
Step 1: Exam and options
Dr. Clemons shows you the tooth and explains whether it can be saved. If not, she plans what replaces it.
- 02
Step 2: Numbing
She numbs the area and checks that it is numb.
- 03
Step 3: Removal
You feel pressure and pushing. She tells you what she is doing as she goes.
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Step 4: After-care
We give you written instructions and a number to call. If a graft goes in, it goes in at this visit.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
The area is numbed with a local anesthetic, and we check that it is numb before we begin. Most people feel pressure, not pain. Tell us if you want a break and we stop. We don't offer sedation in this office.
If you wait or choose differently
An infected tooth can cause pain and swelling that spreads. Sometimes a tooth can be repaired instead, and she says when that is an option. Leaving a gap can let neighboring teeth shift.
Risks and after-care
Bleeding, swelling and soreness are expected for a few days. A dry socket, where the healing clot is lost, can cause pain after a few days; call us if it does. Call too for a fever, swelling that grows or bleeding that won't stop.
How it's billed
The fee is in your written estimate before we start. We give you an itemized receipt.
How fees work
Questions about tooth removal
Can I eat afterward?
Soft, cool food once the numbness wears off. The written instructions say what to avoid.
Do you pull wisdom teeth?
A simple removal, yes. A tooth that is deep or tangled with a nerve is referred to a surgeon.
Can an implant go in when the tooth comes out?
We plan the replacement with you at the exam. Whether the site is ready for an implant depends on the tooth and the bone.
Provided by a general dentist
Dr. Henrietta Clemons, DDS, general dentist, licensed in Illinois.