Simple and Surgical Extractions

Tooth extraction may mean losing a tooth, but when it’s recommended, it’s because there are no other options for saving it and its presence is a threat to the rest of your oral health. Simple extraction can remove a severely compromised tooth so that your dentist can replace it with a dental bridge or implant crown. Surgical extraction is necessary when the tooth can’t be safely removed without first uncovering it from underneath the gum tissues. Impacted wisdom teeth, for instance, often don’t erupt fully from the gums, and therefore must be surgically removed.

Your oral surgeon will determine the need for surgical tooth extraction based on detailed digital images of your teeth and jawbone. If the tooth has become impacted, broken beneath the gum line, or surrounded by unusually dense jawbone structure, then the images will help your specialist plan surgical extraction to remove it. To perform the procedure, your surgeon will create a small incision in the gums to gain access to the tooth structure underneath, and then carefully remove it before suturing the incision closed.

Surgical tooth extractions are often minor surgical procedures, though some cases may be more complex than others. For instance, if a tooth is broken into pieces underneath the gums, then each piece will have to be carefully removed. When planning your treatment, your surgeon will discuss the specifics of your procedure, and may also discuss replacing your extracted tooth, such as with a dental implant.

What is the cost of a simple or surgical tooth extraction?

The average cost for simple tooth extraction is $200, and the average cost of surgical tooth extraction is $400 or higher depending on the dentist, and they are typically covered at 50% - 80% plus the deductible by dental insurance. But with general dentists in Doctors Network, the costs are $75 and $100, respectively.