Tooth removal
A tooth is removed when it can't be repaired, is loose from gum disease, or is causing infection. Our dentists remove teeth that can be reached and loosened in the chair. Wisdom teeth and complicated removals are referred to an oral surgeon.
What happens
Most removals are done in one visit.
- 01
Step 1: Talk and numb
We explain each step, then numb the area. We test it before starting.
- 02
Step 2: Loosening the tooth
You feel pressure and sometimes a crack or pop. You should not feel sharp pain, and you can ask for more numbing.
- 03
Step 3: Gauze and instructions
We place gauze, give you written after-care, and check that the bleeding is slowing.
- 04
Step 4: A check-in
If you'd like, we call or text the next day to ask how it's going.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
We numb well and wait until the area is numb before starting. You can have breaks, a hand signal, headphones and a caregiver beside you. If the removal needs more than we offer, we'll say so before we begin.
If you wait
A tooth that can't be repaired can keep causing infection and pain, and neighboring teeth can drift. The dentist will tell you if a root canal and crown could save it, and what replacing it can look like afterward.
Risks and after-care
Expect bleeding for a few hours and soreness for a few days. Dry socket, a painful condition when the blood clot is lost, can happen in the first week; call us if pain gets worse after day three. Swelling, fever or bleeding that won't stop is a reason to call right away.
How it's billed
You get a written estimate first, and the fees page explains how plans and self-pay work.
How fees work
Questions about tooth removal
Will it hurt?
You should feel pressure, not sharp pain. If you feel more, raise your hand and we numb again.
What should I eat afterward?
Soft, cool food for the first day or two. We give you written after-care with the details.
What if I can't follow the instructions?
Tell us. We can go over them with a caregiver, write them in plain words or with pictures, and call to check in.
Provided by general dentists
Dr. Concepcion Cisneros, DDS, and Dr. Dominique Hubbard, DMD, general dentists licensed in New York.