Yes, the sound is perhaps the least pleasant part of the entire process. But my dentist has MP3 players with a choice of music so I just picked something rockin' and turned up the volume!!

Using an antibiotic is common for any abscess, especially one that's oozing. Maybe something about the situation made your dentist decide not to? I'd ask.

I had a back molar crack a few years ago. A root canal didn't solve the problem. My very capable family member dentist said they could do the extraction, no problem, but that it would be easier if done by an oral surgeon. I was referred to their friend who did it in a trouble-free and painless way with a local anesthetic. No headphones, no troublesome sounds or experience of any kind.

Because it was a back molar, they said that no implant nor other replacement was really necessary. I followed that advice and it's been fine. It took a few months for the hole to fill in with tissue but it's been painless and trouble free.

Good luck

I'm not in any pain.

Pain or no pain, I'm surprised you're not on an antibiotic.

This is on his website. Sounds like I need the surgical extraction. Yikes!

There are two types of tooth extractions, simple and surgical. Simple tooth extraction is a straightforward procedure. It is performed under a local anesthetic,
which helps to ensure that you do not feel any discomfort during the
procedure. A tool called an elevator is used to help loosen the gums and
the periodontal ligament from around the tooth. Next, forceps are used to move the tooth back and forth. This helps to further widen the periodontal ligament and loosen the tooth. Once the tooth is sufficiently loose, it is pulled free.

A surgical tooth extraction is necessary for more complex situations. These include
situations such as a broken tooth or an impacted wisdom tooth. This
procedure is done under a local anesthetic. Sedation may also be provided to help you relax and feel comfortable. An incision is made in the gums to expose the entire tooth, including the root and surrounding bone. We then work to carefully and completely remove the tooth. We may need to section the tooth or remove a small portion of your bone. Once complete, the surgical incision is sutured closed.

I have had a broken tooth removed (several, actually) and never needed the surgical process. It would probably depend on the specific situation but the only time I've needed a surgical approach was for the wisdom teeth. And that included having 8 teeth pulled at the same time in preparation for an upper plate. Even that was no big deal and I am not a fan of ANY dental procedures!

Was the break below the gum line? This preceded the info on types of extractions:

Is an Extraction Necessary?
While most damaged teeth can be restored, this is not always possible.
If the affected tooth is too badly damaged, it may be beyond repair. As a
result, a tooth extraction becomes necessary. Situations that require a
tooth extraction include:
• Cracks in the crown that extend below the gum line.

• Fractures in the teeth completely below the gum line.

I typed a long reply but it disappeared into the ether.

I just had an abcessed molar removed (decay under a large filling) about 3 weeks ago. I had been taking antibiotics for about 3 weeks before going to the dentist as I had an appt for other work scheduled (bone graft/ sinus lift prior to getting 2 more implants).

The tooth was pulled, a little extra excavation done, the implant installed w/ a bit of bone grafting material packed around the implant. Sutures. Return in 5 months for abutment & crown. About an hour for entire procedure, give or take a few minutes.

Dentist is an implant specialist south of the border.

Yes, the fracture extended all the way to the base of the tooth, so well below the gum line. And they were attended to in much the way ci_lantro describes. Except no implants.....no dental insurance and my budget did not carry to the approximate $2 grand per implant!!

If your insurance allows it, get a second opinion from an oral surgeon. That's their specialty. While a regular dentist can pull teeth, if there are any complications you want the expert to be handling it.

If you have a heart attack you go to a cardiologist, not a dermatologist. Let the oral surgeon handle extracting teeth.

I don't have dental either but I will be going on Medicare in mid-May so I wonder if I should get the supplemental dental insurance and wait on the extraction.

"If you have a heart attack you go to a cardiologist, not a dermatologist. Let the oral surgeon handle extracting teeth."

Oh, for heaven's sake!! That is apples and oranges! Dentists are fully trained in tooth extractions. Period. You do not need a specialist for everything. And the dentist would be the one to determine whether a more complicated surgical extraction was required and refer you to an oral surgeon if necessary.

If the dentist can see that a root is cracked he might be hesitant to attempt the extraction himself and I would follow his instinct on that. If it's cracked completely it's going to have to be dug out of the jawbone, not pretty. Believe me, you won't feel the pain unless you are one of those who don't respond to Novocain, have you ever had it? (I guess since you say you have a crown you have.) I'm pretty confident about what I'm telling you since I've had several teeth removed, some cracked, some very fragile from decay, one was completely cracked in half. All the wisdom teeth were impacted and had to be done by an oral surgeon and that wasn't funny. The others - some were easy-peasy and some weren't. I'm from a long line of WV hillbillies, so go figure. (I'm allowed to say this BTW). LOL! But if he's hesitant to do it, I would still be insisting on being seen by an oral surgeon ASAP - let us know what happens.

LMAO, gardengal. As I typed my message, I thought to myself, "I bet gardengal will post a contrary / argumentative opinion. Because she always does."

Glad to see you didn't disappoint me. If Toby wants to see an oral surgeon, why do you care? It's his tooth and his needs. You don't know if he has any underlying health conditions. At least he knows he has an option.

My dentist is in a group practice with several specialists - oral surgeon, periodontist, endodontist. pediatric, ortho, prosthodontist. In the past 3 years I've had 3 implants for various reasons, one was a tooth with a root canal and crown. When the root cracked we decided to go with another implant. My periodontist has removed all 3 teeth without incident. My dentist could have pulled the tooth but he recommended the periodontist since he would also handle the implant.

From Toby's post:

"A surgical tooth extraction is necessary for more complex situations. These include
situations such as a broken tooth or an impacted wisdom tooth. This
procedure is done under a local anesthetic. Sedation may also be provided to help you relax and feel comfortable. An incision is made in the gums to expose the entire tooth, including the root and surrounding bone. We then work to carefully and completely remove the tooth. We may need to section the tooth or remove a small portion of your bone. Once complete, the surgical incision is sutured closed."

Definitely sounds like Toby's dentist or the dental practice that he is going to performs surgical extractions if need be. So, if I was Toby, I'd stay w/ this dentist and trust the dentist's call on how to extract the tooth. I don't see any immediate reason to be traipsing off to see an oral surgeon.

If it turns out his dentist can't handle it, his dentist will refer him & he will likely get in to see the surgeon sooner w/ a referral anyway.

General dentists are trained to do extractions. You don't want someone who's just graduated from dental school to do one for you. What develops competence is experience, over and over. Many general dentists do few extractions. Doing an extraction in the rear is more difficult because of access.

Oral surgeons pull teeth day in, day out. More training, more experience.

Periodontists do a lot of surgical procedures and pull a lot of teeth. More training, more experience.

My dentist relative is a trained specialist but not a perio or oral surgeon. They graduated from a top dental school With Honors (Top 10% of their class) and did about 2X of the required procedures in dental school (including extractions) than peers did. They referred me to an oral surgeon.

Life is about choices, and better decisions come from better information.

no dental insurance and my budget did not carry to the approximate $2 grand per implant!!

IME, $2K is the running rate in (my area of) the US for just the titanium implant (that small screw like piece of metal that is implanted in the jaw bone.) Tooth extraction, abutment & crown (prices differ on what material you choose for the crown) are add-ons with the totally running around $5K per tooth.

Which is why I go to MX. This implant is costing me $2K total--extraction, titanium implant, abutment & zirconia crown. The dentist I'm using specializes in implants so I'm comfortable w/ him--he gets lots of practice doing them. Also he is not the most expensive guy in town nor the cheapest.

I don't care if Toby wants to consult an oral surgeon. What I do care about is someone posting information that is inaccurate.....as your comment was. As has been mentioned by more than one and is also my personal experience, dentists are all fully trained in tooth extractions. It is part of their normal business practices. One does not need to visit nor pay the inflated fees of an oral surgeon for a standard or even slightly more complex tooth removal.

As per ci_lantro's post above, Toby's dentist is the one who should be making the decision.

btw, I see nothing wrong in correcting blatant misstatements, which you seem to like to make. If you don't like it, move on by!

Please share how having an oral surgeon pull a tooth is a blatant misstatement? Is that not the job of an oral surgeon? They don't pull teeth? I fail to see how saying an oral surgeon pulls teeth is a blatant misstatement. I just suggested to consult one. And right back at ya - move on by!

I think you just like to argue.

This is what you said:

"If you have a heart attack you go to a cardiologist, not a dermatologist. Let the oral surgeon handle extracting teeth."

Implying that a dentist is unqualified to extract teeth. Which they are not. My favorite dentist (now moved to a remote area) was skilled in doing both standard and surgical extractions. As many others are and also apparently those that work in Toby's dental office.

It's not that I like to argue - I don't. I just really dislike inaccuracies.

"Which is why I go to MX. "

Say no more. This reveals more about you than you might ever imagine.

I hope you realize that the $2000 fee you've cited is probably 5X or more what that dentist charges locals.

My dentist has been practicing for probably thirty years. I've been going to him for about three years. He's done a crown and did excellent work but that's my only experience other than my checkups.

I do feel he'd refer me if he felt it was necessary as he did offer the name of a specialist for a second opinion.

I'd like to hear about any other experiences people have had rather than get into arguments in my thread. It's not helpful.

General dentists are loathe to refer patients to specialists except under special circumstances because they're giving away the money for the procedure. Especially at a time like this when practices are closed, they'd be especially disinclined to send you away.

If they think they have the capability of doing the job (and too many have nonobjective, egotistical views of what they think they can do well), they'll tell you they can do the specific procedure with no problem. That may be true. It may also not be true.

Your choice.

"This is what you said:

"If you have a heart attack you go to a cardiologist, not a dermatologist. Let the oral surgeon handle extracting teeth." Yes, I wrote that. That's a true statement.

Implying that a dentist is unqualified to extract teeth. Please show me where I wrote that a dentist is unqualified to extract teeth. I did write "While a regular dentist can pull teeth..." I said a regular dentist can pull teeth.

Which they are not. My favorite dentist (now moved to a remote area) was skilled in doing both standard and surgical extractions. As many others are and also apparently those that work in Toby's dental office. Great. It really matters to you a lot that Toby let his regular dentist pull his tooth. It doesn't matter to me. I'm merely suggesting another option.

It's not that I like to argue - I don't. I just really dislike inaccuracies." Please point out the inaccuracies. I wrote that a dentist can pull teeth.

My apologies for derailing your thread, Toby. I'll discontinue. I just don't like being accused of "implying" something where I was very clear in what I wrote. It doesn't matter to me if you go to your dentist or oral surgeon. I was merely attempting to throw out another option to you.

My biggest concern is that Toby is not on an antibiotic! I've always thought that a clearly infected tooth is a dangerous issue.

I am more concerned about the infection than the broken tooth. Some dentists will not do an extraction unless absolutely necessary if there is an active infection. I did not see any mention of antibiotics but he should have given you a script for them. If he did not find another dentist.

My mom lost all of her teeth because of an infection that started in one tooth and spread to the rest of her mouth.

Several years ago I had a top premolar that was split. My dentist sent me to the oral surgeon and I was glad he did as he wouldn't have sent me there if he didn't have some concern.

I just remembered that I have some bone loss under that tooth so maybe the tooth will remove easier. There's what they call a pocket.

Don't worry, I'll call him on Monday. I can likely have the tooth removed early next week.

My dentist chooses not to do extractions and sends her patients to an oral surgeon. She’s a very good den - her father was, too, as was her partner’s father. It depends on the dentist and I’m sure also their location.

I feel for you Toby, I hate the dentist and would seek a second opinion. I am also amazed you don't have pain. Have no advice for you sorry.

I had my bottom molar removed years ago with no problems. But, in my case, I didn't have implant put in. Now my top molar is slowly sinking down because I don't have bottom molar to hold it in place. Dr said eventually it will fall out but it's been over 15 years and it's still there

SamKaren Your resident dj

No, Elmer. I understand. Just wanted to see if you were honest enough to answer the question. You lived up to my expectation.

You know no one more honest than I am.

Toby, I have had only one tooth pulled, except for impacted wisdom teeth. I think my dentist pulled it but it's been so many years ago, I don't recall. I did go to an oral surgeon for an implant, so he may have pulled the tooth, too. I had terrible dental anxiety for many years (no longer do) but the implant process was not bad at all. So apparently the tooth pulling wasn't memorable. I've never had anything but local anesthetic. My implant is my favorite tooth in my mouth.

But this is one thing that really helps me if I feel at all anxious. (I never would have looked at his website to read about extractions). I tell my dentist, oral surgeon, periodontist and endodontist (I've seen all those specialists at one time or another), that unless I have to make an informed medical decision about what they are going to do, I don't want to know. I do NOT want to be picturing what they describe to me that they will do. If I have a choice to make, of course I want to be informed, but if it's something straight forward like a crown or root canal, just do it and don't tell me about it.

I quit fearing Novocaine shots when I stopped looking at the equipment. I close my eyes, I follow directions, but I don't look. I don't want to see the needle, I don't need to! I am so relaxed at the dentist now I can almost fall asleep in their comfy chairs.

How about 30-some, more or less: my full complement?

I've lived 20 mi. from a city with a major univ., including a dental school and have had much work done there for several years.

My first student was a South Asian Indian woman, and I remember one day when she had gone to arrange some service, saying to her supervisor that she had gentle hands and the supervisor agreed.

They've done a crown, and not long after they did a root canal - some time later, they recommended a full extraction of the teeth in that upper, so gave me a substantial credit. And my upper plate.

I was not referred to a surgeon, and being under local anaesthetic, felt no pain or discomfort. When they start wiggling the pliers back and forth to loosen the tooth, one just tightens one's neck - and please don't call me "stiff necked", if you don't mind.

One tooth was broken, and another so tightly stuck in the lower jaw that they had to do some grinding of jaw (and tooth?) to get it free. Having worked on a farm and used grinders, it was a somewhat familiar sound, but not a problem, and no discomfort.

They made me a partial for the lower jaw, with three teeth remaining, which lasted for several years, then they took the last three, so I've been toothless for some time.

One becomes a friend of mashed potatoes, ground meat, stews and soups ... but life goes on.

So - don't sweat the dental procedures, Toby: they're not so problematic, I've found.

I've had very little major pain to cope with during these 90 years - and I've found that I don't like it.

But a visit to the dentist doesn't relate to pain or discomfort to me.

But then - I'm not much of a worrier, either.

And my memory isn't too hot, at this advanced age.

Good wishes as you approach this new adventure, Toby.

ole joyful

His decisions about his teeth are none of my or your business.

However you see it is fine with me.

Topics that are personal and private cease being so when described in a public place. You and others have shared personal information and concerns and received comments and reactions from others to those personal circumstances. His words are no different on that score than yours or anyone else's and the same ground rules should apply. Unless I'm missing something.

Wow, Elmer, that is really beyond the pale, even for you.

Graciously said ole joyful.

Best of luck Toby!

Why is the controversial comment no longer visible? Surely the author didn’t remove it.

We can only hope.

Well, regardless of what was said, I can't think of anyone better qualified to comment on experiencing tooth removal than someone who has had all of their teeth pulled by a dentist.

Many years ago, I had all of my wisdom teeth removed. Ol' joyful described my experience perfectly in this part of his post:

"When they start wiggling the pliers back and forth to loosen the tooth, one just tightens one's neck"

Aside from feeling some pressure at that point, I don't recall any discomfort.

I was prescribed pain medication (don't recall now what it was), but I didn't need it. After a day of taking Tylenol, I was pain free. Had to eat soft foods for a few days and that was about it.

Best of luck to you, Toby.

Elmer, just stop. You are so out of line. Stop.

No, elmer. You've misread or misunderstood what I wrote.

My point was that someone, such as OJ, who has had all of their teeth extracted is in a position to describe what the experience of having teeth pulled is like.

Olychick, I don't like to look at the Novocaine needle either. I have extremely sensitive teeth and everyone who has ever worked on my mouth has remarked on the additional shots needed to numb the area. My trick at the dentist is self hypnosis. You know that irrigation they do? I immediately visualize that I am on a beach. Not a Florida beach, but a California beach with cliffs and a cool breeze. As I'm walking along the cliff, I can feel the mist against my face. In the distance, someone is building a house and I hear sounds of construction, including the drill. This always helps me get through the dental work.

BTW, when I needed an extraction before an implant, I had the periodontist do it. They do extractions all day, every day, and they are better equipped to notice and react to a possible emergency. When I was in fifth grade, my friend, who had some serious health problems, died in the dentist's chair. One day she was in class and the next day she wasn't. Joan was the first person, besides my grandfather, that I knew who died. And while I realize, gratefully, that I don't have her health situation, I still take this stuff seriously.

Attitude toward teeth is also partly cultural. Where I'm from, teeth are preserved (or if necessary, replaced) at all costs, even if the work has to be paid off slowly. Other places I've traveled, no one seems to think anything is odd about missing teeth, even if they are in the front. (Although did you see the Tiger King follow-up? That guy with all the missing teeth had them replaced. The difference was startling!)

AND... once you have this issue resolved. Please! Let us know your thoughts.