If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, we will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes, though, there's too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In this case, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it can't be saved.

What to Expect

Before pulling the tooth, Dr. Ellingsworth will give you an injection of a local anaesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. If you are having more than one tooth pulled or if a tooth is impacted, your dentist may use a strong general anaesthetic. This will prevent pain throughout your body and make you sleep through the procedure.

If the tooth is impacted, the Dr. Ellingsworth will cut away gum and bone tissue that cover the tooth and then, using forceps, grasp the tooth and gently rock it back and forth to loosen it from the jaw bone and ligaments that hold it in place. Sometimes, a hard-to-pull tooth must be removed in pieces.

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