Simple tooth extraction
A tooth extraction removes a tooth that is too damaged, infected or crowded to keep. My City Dental offers tooth extraction in Vaughan for simple, surgical and wisdom tooth cases. The dentist recommends extraction only when it is necessary and tells you why first.
In severe pain or swelling right now? Call (905) 581-2228. Emergency same-day care when available.
- Severe decay that cannot be repaired
- Advanced gum (periodontal) disease
- An infection or abscess when root canal therapy cannot save the tooth
- A broken tooth that cannot be restored
- Impacted or problem wisdom teeth
- Crowding before orthodontic treatment
- An injury to the tooth
When a filling, a crown or root canal therapy can keep the tooth, the dentist weighs that option too. The dentist explains both options, and you decide.
A simple tooth extraction removes a tooth that is fully visible above the gum. The dentist loosens it and lifts it out under local anaesthetic.
Surgical tooth extraction
A surgical tooth extraction is for a tooth that is broken at the gum line, impacted or below the gum. The dentist opens the gum and can remove a little bone or divide the tooth into pieces.
Wisdom tooth extraction
A wisdom tooth extraction removes a third molar, one of the last teeth to come in. My City Dental provides wisdom teeth removal in Vaughan for teeth that are impacted, infected or short of space.
Molar extraction
A molar extraction removes a large back tooth with two or three roots. The dentist can section it so each root comes out on its own.
When should impacted wisdom teeth be removed?
Impacted wisdom teeth removal makes sense when the tooth causes problems. Mayo Clinic lists pain, trapped food, infection or gum disease, decay, damage to the next tooth, a cyst and trouble with braces. Dentists disagree about removing impacted teeth that cause no symptoms.
Some cases go to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, a dentist with university postgraduate training in surgery. A tooth deep in the bone or very close to the nerve points to that referral. So does a need for IV sedation or general anaesthesia, which My City Dental does not list among its services.
What should you expect at your tooth extraction in Vaughan?
Your visit starts with your health history and an exam. If the dentist decides you need X-rays, digital X-rays show the roots and any nearby nerve or sinus. The dentist explains why the tooth should come out and your options for replacing it.
Tell the dentist about every medicine and supplement you take, including blood thinners. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. The dentist tells you whether any change is needed.
Does a tooth extraction hurt?
A tooth extraction should not hurt during the procedure because the area is numbed first. You feel pressure. Tell the dentist if anything hurts and you can have more anaesthetic. Expect soreness once the freezing wears off.
Can you have sedation for a tooth extraction?
If you feel anxious, our conscious sedation page describes nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas. Ask the team whether it or another option suits you.
Any sedation can slow your breathing and make you drowsy, so the dentist checks your health history first. Nitrous oxide wears off faster than oral sedation. The team tells you when it is safe to drive.
After oral sedation, do not drive or use machinery for at least 18 hours. Avoid alcohol and other sedating drugs for at least 18 hours, or longer if you still feel drowsy or dizzy. Someone must take you home.
How does a tooth extraction work, step by step?
- The dentist numbs the tooth and the gum around it.
- The tooth is loosened in its socket.
- If needed, the gum is opened or the tooth is divided to remove it in pieces.
- The socket is cleaned. Stitches go in if needed.
- You bite on gauze to help a blood clot form.
Cleveland Clinic puts one extraction at 30 to 60 minutes. A bone graft in the socket aims to limit bone loss before an implant. Ask the team whether a socket graft suits you.
What are the risks of a tooth extraction?
Dry socket is the most common complication after a tooth extraction, according to Mayo Clinic. Other risks:
- Infection in the socket
- Bleeding that pressure does not stop
- Nerve injury near the lower back teeth, with numbness or tingling in the lip, chin or tongue. It usually fades over weeks or months. It can be long-lasting and, rarely, permanent.
- An opening into the sinus from an upper back tooth
- Damage to a nearby tooth or filling
Call the clinic if your lip, chin or tongue is still numb the day after the extraction.
How do you care for the socket after a tooth extraction?
Socket care protects the blood clot over the bone. These limits come from the Canadian Dental Association's advice after oral surgery.
Bleeding settles with firm pressure. Bite on the gauze for 1 hour, then on fresh gauze for another hour if you need to. Call the clinic if you are still bleeding a lot 4 hours or more after the extraction.
Swelling can start in the first 24 hours and last 5 to 7 days. Bruising can last up to 10 days. On the first day use a cold compress for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off. Call the clinic if swelling still gets worse after 2 days or has not gone down within 7 days.
Pain that is not getting better within 48 hours is a reason to call. Take only the pain medicine your dentist or pharmacist advises.
Do not rinse for the first 24 hours. Skip straws for a week. Avoid smoking, tobacco and alcohol for 2 weeks. Let hot drinks cool and eat soft food such as eggs, pasta and bananas.
After a child's extraction, an adult should watch them until the numbness wears off so they do not bite their lip, cheek or tongue. After sedation, an adult watches the child until fully awake. Call 911 if breathing is slow, shallow or noisy, the lips turn blue or grey or the child is hard to wake.
What are the signs of dry socket?
Dry socket brings severe pain 1 to 3 days after the extraction. Mayo Clinic lists a socket that looks empty or shows bone, pain spreading to the ear, eye, temple or neck, and bad breath or a bad taste.
Call the clinic if you notice these signs. Medicine bought without a prescription is not enough for most people. The dentist can clean the socket and place a medicated dressing. Smoking raises the risk.
When should you go to the emergency department?
Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop.
Call the clinic right away for a fever without those signs, vomiting, or pain and swelling that keep getting worse.
How much does it cost to extract a tooth in Ontario?
A simple tooth extraction costs about $150 to $300 per tooth and a surgical extraction about $250 to $600, going by published prices at other Toronto-area clinics. Deeply impacted wisdom teeth can cost more. Your own cost comes in a written estimate after an exam.
The price changes with the type of extraction and the number of teeth. Sedation and any X-rays you need add to it. My City Dental offers direct insurance billing. A predetermination from your insurer is an estimate, not a promise of payment.
Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) accepted. The CDCP covers oral surgery services, but coverage depends on the service and your eligibility, and some procedures need preauthorization.
Is it cheaper to pull a tooth or fix it?
Pulling a tooth costs less on the day than saving it with root canal therapy and a crown. Replacing the gap with an implant, a bridge or a denture then adds a larger second cost. A wisdom tooth does not need replacing, so the lower price holds there.
Our dental implants page lists the clinic's implant pricing. The CDCP does not cover implants or bridges.
Frequently asked questions
Will the hospital pull a tooth in Ontario?
A hospital is not the place for a routine tooth extraction in Ontario. OHIP does not pay for dental services in a dentist's office. It covers tooth removal in hospital only when it is medically necessary and approved first, according to the Ontario government. Go to an emergency department for trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, or bleeding that will not stop.
What is the 2 2 2 rule for teeth?
The 2 2 2 rule means brushing twice a day for two minutes and seeing the dentist twice a year. The American Dental Association backs the brushing advice. The Canadian Dental Association says your exam schedule depends on your oral health. After an extraction, keep brushing but stay away from the socket.
How much should you pay for a tooth extraction?
Ask for a written estimate for your own tooth after an exam. It is not a fixed final price, and any change is explained to you first. A clear estimate names the type of extraction, the number of teeth, any sedation and any X-rays. A predetermination shows what your plan expects to pay.
How long does it take to recover from a tooth extraction?
Recovery takes a few days for daily life and several weeks for the bone. Cleveland Clinic says most people return to routine activities within 48 to 72 hours. The jawbone takes weeks to months to heal, and a large molar socket can take up to four months. If you plan an implant, ask how long the socket should heal first.