Extractions
When a tooth can’t be saved, we make removal simple.
Sometimes a tooth is damaged or infected beyond what a filling or root canal can fix. Severe decay, a fracture below the gum line, advanced gum disease, or a wisdom tooth with no room to grow in properly can all make extraction the healthiest option left.
At Bayside Dental Arts, Dr. Andrey Ilyabayev only recommends removing a tooth after other options have been ruled out. When a tooth can still be saved, treatments like a filling or root canal therapy come first, since keeping your natural tooth is almost always better for your long-term oral health. Extraction becomes the right choice once a tooth is too damaged, too infected, or too crowded to keep.
When a Tooth Needs to Come Out
A few situations commonly lead to extraction:
- Decay or a fracture too extensive to repair
- An infection that has not resolved with a root canal
- Advanced gum disease that has loosened the tooth
- A wisdom tooth that is impacted or has no room to erupt
- Crowding that needs to be relieved before orthodontic care
- A baby tooth that has not fallen out on its own
If you are in sudden, severe pain from a badly infected or broken tooth, same-day evaluation through our emergency dentist service can determine quickly whether the tooth can be saved or needs to come out.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, the last set of molars to come in, are removed more often than any other tooth. Many mouths do not have enough room for them, which can leave them impacted, growing in at an angle, or pushing against the teeth next to them. Dr. Ilyabayev evaluates wisdom teeth with an X-ray well before they cause pain, since a tooth that looks fine on the surface can still be developing a problem underneath the gum line.
The Extraction Process
Replacing the Tooth Afterward
An empty space left by an extracted tooth can let the teeth around it shift over time, which can affect your bite.
For most single-tooth extractions, Dr. Ilyabayev discusses dental implants as a long-term replacement, since an implant functions like a natural tooth root and helps keep the surrounding teeth in place. When several teeth need to come out, dentures may be the better fit. Your dentist can walk you through which option makes sense once healing is underway.
Recovery and Aftercare
Most patients feel back to normal within a few days. Biting on gauze for the first hour, resting for the rest of the day, and sticking to soft foods help the extraction site heal properly. Call our office if you develop a fever, heavy bleeding that does not slow down, or pain that gets worse instead of better after the first day or two, since these can be signs of an infection or a dry socket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Getting a Tooth Pulled Hurt
The area is fully numbed before Dr. Ilyabayev begins, so you should feel pressure rather than pain during the procedure. Most soreness afterward is mild and responds well to over-the-counter pain relievers.
How Common Is Dry Socket
A 2024 study of more than 1,300 patients found dry socket developed in about 1 percent of routine extractions, with the risk rising in cases involving smoking, longer procedures, or impacted wisdom teeth (PMC).
How Long Does Recovery Take
Soft tissue typically heals within one to two weeks, though the bone underneath continues to fill in for a few months. Most patients return to normal eating and activity well before that.
What Should I Eat After an Extraction
Stick to soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and soup for the first day or two, and avoid hot liquids, alcohol, and drinking through a straw, since suction can dislodge the healing blood clot.
Does Insurance Cover Tooth Extractions
Most PPO dental plans cover at least part of an extraction, especially when it is medically necessary. Bayside Dental Arts accepts PPO insurance and can help verify your benefits beforehand.
Do Not Wait on a Damaged Tooth
Dr. Andrey Ilyabayev and our dental team have helped patients throughout Bayside, Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island avoid unnecessary tooth loss for years, and when extraction is the right call, we make the process as straightforward as possible.
