Extractions involve removing a tooth from the mouth. There are many reasons why a tooth needs to be removed. If a tooth is very decayed or is crowding other teeth, it may need to be pulled. In some cases, wisdom teeth or impacted teeth need to be removed. There are two types of extractions:

 

1) Simple extractions. These extractions usually only require local anaesthetic, since the tooth is visible to the dentist. In this extraction, the dentist can grasp the tooth with an instrument. He or she will lift the tooth and rock the tooth back and forth until the tooth becomes loose enough to lift out.

 

2) Surgical extractions. In cases where a tooth is not visible or cannot be grasped with instruments, a surgical extraction may be necessary. In this type of extraction, the dentist will lift the soft tissue over the tooth. He or she may also need to drill into the surrounding bone tissue or may need to remove the tooth piece by piece.