When does a tooth need to come out?
Dr. Sayeed always checks first whether a tooth can be saved with a root canal or a crown.
- A tooth broken below the gumline
- Decay or infection too deep to repair
- A wisdom tooth that is impacted, keeps getting infected or hurts
- Advanced gum disease that has loosened the tooth
- Before a denture, when remaining teeth can’t support it
Can a dentist pull a rotten or broken tooth?
Yes. Dr. Sayeed removes broken and badly decayed teeth, including surgical extractions. If a wisdom tooth sits very deep or close to a nerve, he refers you to an oral surgeon.
Simple and surgical extractions
Simple extraction
For a tooth that is fully visible. It is loosened and lifted out under local anesthetic. Most people feel back to normal in one to three days.
Surgical extraction
For a broken or impacted tooth, including many wisdom teeth. A small opening in the gum gives access, and a few stitches close it. Healing usually takes five to ten days.
Recovery after a tooth extraction
- The first day. Bite on gauze to stop the bleeding, rest, and avoid straws, smoking and spitting so the clot stays in place.
- Days two and three. Soft foods such as yogurt, soup, eggs and mashed potatoes. Rinse gently with warm salt water.
- The first week. Soreness fades, and you can chew carefully on the other side. Stitches dissolve or are removed.
- A few weeks. The gum closes over. The bone underneath keeps healing for a few months.
What is a dry socket?
A painful condition when the blood clot comes out of the socket too early, usually two to four days after the extraction. If pain gets worse instead of better, call 845-336-5855.
Replacing the tooth
A gap at the back can let neighboring teeth tip and drift. Dr. Sayeed talks through replacement before the extraction, so you can plan: a dental implant, a bridge or a denture. Wisdom teeth don’t need replacing.
Cost and insurance
The cost depends mainly on whether the extraction is simple or surgical. You get the cost before treatment starts. Read what a tooth extraction costs in New York for the details.
- Insurance: most dental plans pay part of an extraction. We work with CSEA and Kingston Trust Fund plans and most PPO plans, and check your benefits before your visit.
- Spreading the cost: CareCredit and Cherry let you pay over time for larger treatment.
Tooth extraction questions
Patients come to us from Kingston, Port Ewen, Lake Katrine, Hurley, Saugerties, Woodstock and across Ulster County.
How painful is a tooth extraction?
The area is numbed, so you feel pressure but not pain during it. Soreness afterward is usually manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Can I get an emergency tooth extraction?
Call 845-336-5855. We keep time for urgent problems on clinic days (Tuesday to Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm). Read our emergency dentistry page.
When can I eat normally after an extraction?
Stick to soft foods for the first few days, then build up. Most people eat normally within a week of a simple extraction.
Do wisdom teeth always need to come out?
No. Healthy wisdom teeth that have come through properly and are easy to clean can stay. Dr. Sayeed checks them on X-rays.
