By taking an x-ray and examining your tooth, your dentist can usually determine your extraction whether it would be simple or surgical. But there are times when a simple extraction turns into a surgical. If a tooth breaks off during the procedure, for instance, it may be taken out into pieces.

Surgical tooth extractions are required when a tooth has not erupted from the gumline or has not fully erupted, making it harder to access. In these cases, we will use a drill or osteotome. We might also need to split the tooth into multiple pieces, making it easier to remove the tooth.

Surgical extractions are also mostly performed on impacted wisdom teeth that are still covered by your gum tissue. We also might recommend a pain medication following the procedure to prevent unnecessary pain.