Dental and Tooth Extractions

Dental extractions are performed on teeth that have been severely damaged due to decay, infection, gum disease or a fracture. Oral surgeons at Houston Methodist also perform extraction of impacted teeth and wisdom teeth.

Tooth extractions fall into two categories:

• Simple extractions are performed on the teeth most visible to the eye when the mouth is opened. This procedure requires very little anesthesia and is performed as an outpatient procedure.
• Surgical extractions are performed on teeth that cannot be easily seen and are difficult to access. In many cases the tooth itself has not broken through the gum line fully or at all, and requires surgical techniques to extract the broken tooth.