Tooth Removal in Torquay

The tooth and the area around it are numbed with local anaesthetic before we begin, so you should not feel pain during the extraction itself. What you will feel is pressure and movement, which can be surprising if you are not expecting it — the tooth is being eased out rather than pulled, and that takes firm, steady force. Tell us at any point if you are uncomfortable and we can add more anaesthetic. Afterwards, it is normal for the area to be sore for several days as the socket heals. Over-the-counter pain relief is usually enough. If the pain worsens after two or three days rather than settling, call us — that can indicate a dry socket, which is easily treated but needs seeing.

Most people feel substantially better within three to four days, with the socket closing over across one to two weeks and the bone underneath continuing to fill in for a few months. A straightforward extraction usually means little more than a quiet evening. A surgical or wisdom tooth extraction more often involves swelling that peaks around day two or three, and it is sensible to keep the following day clear where you can. Recovery is quicker if you avoid smoking, do not rinse vigorously for the first 24 hours, and keep to softer food on the opposite side while the area settles.

At WB Dental, an extraction is £250, and if you are new to the practice your first appointment is an oral health assessment at £110, charged separately. A complex extraction, where the tooth is broken down or has awkward roots, is £450. A surgical extraction, where access is made through the gum, is £650. Wisdom teeth are £750. Patients on one of our membership plans receive 10% off all of these. Which fee applies depends on how the tooth comes out rather than which tooth it is, and we can only tell you for certain after examining it and taking a radiograph. What we can tell you is that the fee will be confirmed before any treatment is booked — you will not be given one figure and charged another.

Bite firmly on the gauze pad for at least 20 minutes without checking it — steady pressure is what allows the clot to form. Once bleeding has stopped, leave the area alone. For the first 24 hours, avoid rinsing, spitting, hot drinks, alcohol and strenuous activity, all of which can dislodge the clot. Do not smoke, ideally for several days: smoking is the single biggest cause of dry socket. Eat softer food on the other side, and keep brushing the rest of your mouth normally. From the following day, rinsing gently with warm salt water after meals helps keep the socket clean. If bleeding restarts and does not settle with 20 minutes of firm pressure on fresh gauze, call the practice.