Beverly Hills Periodontal Institute

Teeth Extraction

If you have a broken or rotten tooth that we cannot repair, it may be better to have it removed. Our dentist usually recommends removing a tooth a final resort. Of course, we’ll first attempt to repair it with a filling or crown. But if we can’t fix it, the best option is to pull it out. We’ll talk through your choices with you.

About tooth removal


  There are a lot of reasons why you might have to have a tooth removed. For example, we will recommend extraction if you have:  

  • Gum disease, for instance, pus on your gums or around your teeth
  • A broken tooth that’s beyond repair. Usually, these are fractures that go down to the root of the tooth.
  • Impacted wisdom teeth.
  • Crowded teeth – once your teeth don’t have enough room in your jaw, your dentist may sometimes remove one (or two).
  • Severe bone loss around a tooth
  • Decay that has destroyed a large part of the tooth’s structure

  We do our tooth extractions right here at the clinic. In some cases, you’ll be able to leave on the same day. Before your extraction, you’ll meet the dentist who will do the procedure to discuss your care.  

Preparing for tooth removal

Your dentist will ask about your dental and medical history. It’s essential to inform them of any medical conditions or allergies. Also, let them know about recent surgery and any medicines you’re taking. He will tell you what’s going to happen before, as well as any pain you will have. If you’re unsure about something, ask. We don’t consider any question to be stupid. Being informed can help you to feel relaxed. It can empower you to grant your permission to go ahead with the procedure. We will ask for your signature on a consent form for tooth removal, as drugs that cause numbness or unconsciousness. You can have your tooth (or teeth) removed under local anesthesia. This completely blocks the pain from your gums, though you’ll still feel the pressure. You’ll stay awake throughout the procedure, so you’ll remember what’s happening. If you’re nervous about having your tooth removed, we can let you take a sedative. A sedative will relieve your fear and stress. It causes you to feel sleepy and helps you to relax. General anesthesia for tooth extraction is usually done only for young children. Dentists also allow it for mentally challenged adults. Your dentist can decide if its right for you. For example, they might make an exception if they have to get rid of many teeth or if they know the extraction is going to be harder than usual. If you need general anesthesia, your dentist may refer you to a hospital to do your procedure. Anesthesia can cause you to get sick. Thus, it is essential that you do not eat or drink anything for six hours before your procedure. Follow your dentist’s or anesthetist’s recommendations. If you have any questions, ask them right away.

Alternatives to tooth removal

Don’t want to have your tooth removed? You have different treatment options, depending on what’s wrong with it. For info, see our Services section. The dentist can explore all choices before they take away your tooth. Still, removing your tooth is sometimes the best choice. The dentist can help you understand why, and how dental implants can help. It’s also important to know the possible effects on your health if you don’t remove your tooth.

The procedure: tooth removal

Once you’re sitting in the chair, the dentist will inject a local anesthetic in the area around your tooth. He’ll wait several minutes to allow the injection to start numbing your mouth. He will ask you many questions to see if it’s working. The roots of your tooth are located in a socket in your gum. Your dentist can widen your socket and loosen your tooth before they take it out. Generally, your dentist might have to place a stitch within the empty socket to help it to heal. You’ll feel some pressure in your mouth once you have a tooth removed, but it shouldn’t be painful. If you feel any pain, let your dentist know immediately.

Recovering from tooth removal

In rare cases, it takes several days to recover enough to resume normal activities and return to work. Most people will return to their regular activities, as well as work, later the same day. If you had a more complicated surgical extraction, can it take many days to recover? Judge how you’re feeling and follow your dentist’s recommendations.   If you had a local anesthetic, it’s going to take several hours before the feeling returns to your mouth. Don’t consume any hot food or a drink till it comes back, so you don’t burn or scald your mouth. Be careful to not bite your tongue once you speak, drink, or eat. Rest as much as possible.   Your mouth may feel sore once the anesthesia wears off. You can take over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol or Advil. Your dentist may advise you bring along paracetamol and Advil in case you need it. Always look through the patient info insert that comes along with your medicines. It’s the written message folded into a little booklet in the box your medication comes in. If you have any questions about the painkiller, ask your dentist or another health professional for advice.   Some people observe that their pain gets worse about three days after the procedure. It then settles down after about a week to ten days. This can be completely normal. If you’re in extreme pain and it gets worse, contact your dentist. They’ll make sure nothing else is causing it, like an infection.   Your dentist may tell you not to blow your nose or sneeze violently or suck on straws when you have a tooth removed. This could disturb the healing of the tooth. After your tooth extraction, there are some things you can do to hasten your recovery.  

  • Don’t rinse out your mouth for at least 24 hours. Rinsing can disturb any blood clots that have formed. Disturbing these clots can cause serious physical harm. At this point, rinse with a salt water gargle. You can create this yourself by dissolving a teaspoon of salt in a glass of hot (but not scalding) water. Rinse four times a day to keep the wound clean – hold the rinse in your mouth for a few minutes before you spit it out. When you feel able to eat, begin with soft food that you don’t have to chew a lot. If possible, eat on the opposite side to where you had your tooth extracted. If you experience bleeding, bite down on a pad of fabric like a clean hanky for about fifteen minutes.
  • Don’t consume alcohol for at least one day, and don’t smoke for as long as possible. You won’t be able to smoke for at least the rest of the day. Brush your teeth but keep your toothbrush off from the healing wound. You can brush closer to it as the days go by. Try softening your toothbrush before you sweep. You may get stitches, depending on which tooth came out, and why. The stitches will dissolve by themselves inside a week to ten days. You won’t have to go back to the office to have them removed. It’s essential to brush your teeth clean for three to four days after your surgery. You need to prevent food from getting into the wound. Take care that you don’t remove any new blood clots that may have formed over your empty socket.

Aftercare for tooth removal

Your gum may bleed for several minutes when you have your tooth taken out. Your dentist can give you a gauze pad to bite on to reduce bleeding and allow clots to form. Before you leave, your dentist will give you instructions on taking care of your teeth and gums. He will recommend painkillers and an antiseptic gargle. He may suggest some antibiotics to reduce your chances of developing an infection. If you took a sedative, you’ll have to rest until its effects have worn off. Ask someone to drive you home. Also, ask them to remain with you for the rest of the day until the sedative wears off. Having anesthesia will take a lot out of you. You may realize that you are not very coordinated or that it’s tough to think clearly. This should pass inside 24 hours. Within the meanwhile, do not drive, drink alcohol, or operate machinery. You should also take care not to sign important documents. Always follow your dentist’s recommendations. You don’t always need a follow-up appointment when you’ve had a tooth removed. If you had a more elaborate procedure, you might have to return to see your dentist. He may have to check how you’re healing. We’ll give you a date for this.

Complications of tooth removal

Complications can sometimes happen with a tooth extraction procedure. Some teeth have strong roots and are hard to remove. Here are some other difficulties that you may experience:  

  • Damage to other teeth. This may happen if the teeth next to the one that the dentist is removing have large fillings or crowns.
  • Sensitive teeth. The teeth next to the one that’s being extracted could feel raw, and this might last many weeks.
  • Poor healing. If the blood doesn’t clot in your socket, it won’t heal well. This is known as lung partstis and may be painful. You’re more likely to develop lung partstis if you smoke or take oral contraceptives. See your dentist right away if you experience excessive pain. He will place a dressing within the socket and prescribe antibiotics for you.
  • A nerve injury. You might get a tingling or pins and needles or a numb feeling in your gum close to the socket. This may occur if your nerves got bruised during the procedure. This feeling does not usually last long.

Side-effects of tooth removal

After your tooth extraction, you’ll have some side-effects, that shouldn’t last long. You’re likely to have some discomfort and swelling for several days afterward. It should quiet down completely inside ten days. You might have some soreness (without bleeding) for a few weeks, and your jaw may feel a touch stiff for about a week. Don’t force your jaw open if it’s stiff. You might have some bleeding for a day or two. The blood mixes with other fluids such as saliva, it can make it seem like there’s more blood than there really is. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, contact your dentist. In our practice, our primary goal is the preservation and saving of teeth. Sometimes due to unfortunate circumstances saving the tooth becomes hopeless. If this is your situation, removal of the tooth becomes necessary. Removal will prevent further damage to the surrounding teeth and structures. We have to do extractions with precision. In that way, we can avoid trauma and injury to the adjacent teeth and the surrounding bone. In our practice, we use many techniques to remove teeth. We ensure the best of care and minimal trauma to our patients. We often use sedation to improve patient comfort and reduce anxiety. If you need tooth extraction, Beverly Hills Periodontal Institute is the best place to do it. Our dental surgeon, Dr. Miles Madison, is experienced, and very gentle. He will ensure that you have minimal discomfort so you can resume your normal activities soon after the procedure. Contact us now for a dental consultation.
Image
Dental Reviews & Testimonials

Over 35+ ★★★★★ Star Reviews

Very rarely have I experience such care and compassion from a doctor/periodontist. I appreciate that Doctor Madison took his time with me, given that I was a nervous patient. He made sure that I was completely comfortable before he started my procedure. Because of Doctor Madison I have confidence in continuing and maintaining my dental work, something that I have been putting off for years. I am so happy with the major improvement on my teeth and I am so grateful to Doctor Madison. I highly recommend him.
Mahtab Hakim
a year ago
I am writing this review for Dr. Madison as I feel obliged to, given the outstanding care he has provided my family. My son, daughter and my father have all seen Dr. Madison over the past year and the more times our family has seen Dr. Madison, the more impressed I am with him. We are very grateful for the exceptional care, the great bedside manner and the attention to detail that Dr. Madison provides. For my father, he was able to catch a serious infection in his tooth that his long-time dentist missed.
Romy Nourafchan
Dr. Madison is the BEST in the business. His staff is excellent and responsive, and Dr. Madison is extremely knowledgeable, reasonable, gentle, and thorough. The last two dentists I've seen have said that Dr. Madison is their no. 1 choice for a periodontist in Los Angeles.
Vassi Iliadis
Dr. Madison is the best dentist I have ever had. I have had to have an implant. He and his staff made me feel comfortable and relayed my fears. The office manager and the rest of the staff treat me politely and explain the whole procedure. I could not recommend them more to anyone who wants excellence in their dental care. Keep up the great work!
Charles Feldman

Schedule a visit with Dr. Madison