Tell us a bit about what you need — we'll call or email to confirm a time.
Tooth Extraction
While our focus is on preventative care, we perform tooth extractions on a regular basis when they're genuinely needed. We're always looking for ways to avoid one first by keeping your oral health in good shape — cleaning your teeth regularly, discussing a healthy diet, and treating gum disease, cavities, and infections as they come up to keep your teeth healthy and intact for as long as possible.
The Procedure
For a fully erupted tooth, we numb the area and gently loosen and remove the tooth from its socket — you'll feel pressure but no direct pain. For an impacted tooth (common with wisdom teeth still below the gumline), we create an incision to access it, sometimes removing bone or tissue in the way, and if the tooth won't budge whole, it may be removed in sections. Either way, the site is cleaned thoroughly and, for surgical extractions, stitched closed.
Signs You Might Need One
Intense discomfort in a tooth or jaw can signal a dental abscess or severe infection. Pain when biting or chewing often points to a cavity or infection. Pus or bleeding around a tooth warrants a same-day call — don't wait on that one.
Recovery
Plan on resting in-office for about an hour afterward while bleeding slows and anesthesia wears off, and arrange a ride home. Rest, hydrate, and avoid anything too hot, cold, or a straw for the first few days (suction can restart bleeding). Ibuprofen and a cold compress for fifteen minutes at a time help with swelling, which typically subsides within a few days. Stick to soft, nutritious foods — a smoothie with fruit, vegetables, yogurt, and protein powder works well — and reintroduce solid food gradually. Keep brushing your other teeth normally, just avoid the surgical site directly, and a warm saltwater or antibacterial rinse helps reduce infection risk.
Wisdom Teeth
Not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed — it depends on available space and whether they're erupting straight or impacted. We typically recommend removal during the teenage years when it's needed; general extractions later in life are more often due to infection or damage to an existing tooth.