How Simple Is A Simple Extraction?

This is one of the most understandable questions we hear at Aria Dental. We may call these extractions “simple” but there’s nothing simple to a patient about the removal of a tooth he or she has had forever. In a simple extraction, we are able to get under the tooth with an instrument called an “elevator,” which begins the process of lifting the tooth out of its socket. Once the tooth is raised, forceps can then be used to gradually loosen and remove the tooth. The procedure is “simple” because it is non-invasive and poses much less risk of post-removal pain than a surgical extraction.

Have you ever heard someone say their job is like pulling teeth? Well, part of our job actually IS pulling teeth. The official term for removal of a tooth, however, is “extraction”—and the process is a lot different from the literal pulling technique you may have seen in some old movie where the local barber was also the dentist.

While our main goal is to keep our patients’ teeth in their mouths for as long as possible, there are times when a tooth simply has to come out—whether that’s due to decay, breaking, or the fact that a tooth is growing in such a way as to upset the positioning and alignment of other teeth.

Here’s a brief overview of extraction types: