Dental Extraction

The procedure will take place in the dental office or hospital dental clinic. It may involve removing one or more teeth. You may be asked to take antibiotics before the procedure.

You will get a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth so you do not feel pain. Your dentist may loosen the tooth in the gum using a tooth removal instrument called an elevator. Your dentist will then place forceps around the tooth and pull the tooth out from the gum. If you need a more complex tooth extraction:

You may be given sedation so you are relaxed and asleep, as well as an anesthetic so you are pain-free. The surgeon may need to remove several teeth using the methods above. For an impacted tooth, the surgeon may have to cut a flap of gum tissue and remove some surrounding bone. The tooth will be removed with forceps. If it is hard to remove, the tooth may be sectioned (broken) into pieces. After your tooth is removed:

Your dentist will clean out the gum socket and smooth out the bone that is left. The gum may need to be closed with one or more stitches, also called sutures. You will be asked to bite down on a damp piece of gauze to stop the bleeding.