Extractions
When does a tooth need to be removed?
We remove a tooth only when it's beyond saving — too decayed, damaged or infected to repair — or badly crowding others. Pulling one is our last resort, never our first move. We'll always try to save it first.
When removal is the right call
We only remove a tooth when it is genuinely beyond saving — too decayed, damaged or infected to repair — or when it is crowding everything around it and causing trouble. Sometimes a badly broken tooth, or one lost to advanced gum disease, simply cannot be rebuilt.
Pulling a tooth is honestly our last resort, not our first move. Our whole instinct is to shore up what is yours, so before it comes to that we will look hard at whether a filling, root canal, crown or another route could keep it.
What happens, and what comes next
The area is properly numbed first, so the removal itself is about pressure rather than pain. Once the tooth is out, a blood clot forms in the socket to shield the bone as it knits back together — protecting that clot is the key to smooth healing.
Most of the soreness fades within a couple of weeks, provided you follow the aftercare we send you home with. We will also talk through replacing the gap where it matters — with a bridge, denture or implant — so the neighbouring teeth don't drift.
Common questions
Is there always an alternative to pulling a tooth?
Not always, but often. Fillings, root canal treatment and crowns can save many teeth others might remove. We'll only recommend extraction when a tooth truly can't be rebuilt or is harming others.
Does having a tooth out hurt?
The area is fully numbed, so you feel pressure rather than pain during the removal. A few tender days afterwards are normal and settle with simple pain relief and good aftercare.