Tooth extraction

Extraction is the removal of a tooth, either straightforwardly or surgically where a tooth is broken down, impacted or has awkward roots. It is the one dental treatment that cannot be undone, so the question of whether the tooth could be saved deserves a proper answer first. Equally important is what happens next: bone at an extraction site begins to resorb almost immediately, and a decision about replacement is best made before the tooth comes out rather than months afterwards.

• A tooth is too broken down or decayed to be restored predictably
• Advanced gum disease has left a tooth with too little support
• A vertical root fracture
• Failed root canal treatment where retreatment is not viable
• Impacted wisdom teeth causing repeated infection, decay or damage to the tooth in front
• As part of a planned full-arch rehabilitation
• Occasionally, to create space as part of orthodontic treatment

• Root canal treatment, where the tooth is restorable
• Periodontal treatment, where the problem is support rather than the tooth itself
• Restoration with a crown, onlay or filling
• Monitoring, for an asymptomatic wisdom tooth that is not causing harm

• X-rays of the tooth, its roots and the surrounding bone
• A CBCT for impacted wisdom teeth close to the nerve canal, or where implant planning follows
• Your medical history — particularly bone medication, blood thinners, diabetes and immune conditions
• Whether you smoke
• Your plan for the space afterwards
• Any history of difficult extractions or problems with anaesthetic

1. 1

   Assessment

   Imaging and examination, and an explicit discussion of whether the tooth could be saved and at what cost.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

2. 2

   Planning the space

   Deciding before the extraction what replaces the tooth, if anything. Socket preservation grafting at the time of removal can make later implant treatment simpler.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

3. 3

   The extraction

   Under local anaesthetic. Surgical removal may involve raising the gum and sectioning the tooth, and stitches.

   Carried out by: Partner clinic

4. 4

   Immediate aftercare

   Bleeding control, and clear instructions. Swelling and discomfort usually peak a day or two later rather than immediately.

   Carried out by: You

5. 5

   Healing

   Soft tissue closes over weeks; bone remodels over months. This is why implant timelines start from here, not from the day you arrive.

   Carried out by: You

The extraction itself is usually a single appointment. What matters for trip length is what follows: swelling peaks after a day or two, and flying too soon after a surgical extraction is uncomfortable and makes complications harder to manage. Ask the clinic how soon they are content for you to fly, then book around the answer.

• Whether the tooth is genuinely unrestorable
• Medical history, particularly bone medication such as bisphosphonates, which carries specific risks
• Blood thinners and how they are managed around the procedure
• Smoking, which raises the risk of a painful dry socket considerably
• Proximity of roots to the sinus or the inferior alveolar nerve
• Whether a replacement is planned and when

• Straightforward or surgical removal
• Whether it is a wisdom tooth, and how it is positioned
• Whether socket preservation grafting is done at the same time
• Whether sedation is used
• Whether extractions are included in a package price or charged separately

We do not publish price ranges for this treatment. Any figure we could give before a clinic has approved it would be a guess presented as guidance. Your final price comes from the partner clinic in writing, after a dentist has reviewed your case.

• Pain and swelling, usually peaking one to two days afterwards
• Dry socket — a painful delayed healing, more common in smokers
• Bleeding, particularly on blood-thinning medication
• Infection
• Damage to adjacent teeth or restorations
• Nerve injury causing numbness of the lip, chin or tongue, most relevant for lower wisdom teeth — usually temporary but occasionally not
• Communication with the sinus when removing upper back teeth
• Bone resorption at the site, which begins immediately
• Rarely, delayed healing of the bone in patients on certain bone medications

• Could this tooth be saved, and what would that involve?
• Is this a straightforward or a surgical extraction?
• How close is the root to the nerve or the sinus, and have you assessed that on a scan?
• Should the socket be grafted at the same time if I might want an implant later?
• Are extractions included in my quoted price?
• How soon after this may I fly?
• What should I expect over the next few days, and who do I contact if it is worse than that?

These are worth asking of any clinic, including ours. A clinic that answers them clearly and in writing is telling you something useful.

This treatment would be carried out by a licensed dentist at the partner clinic you choose, working in oral surgery. Dental Anchor does not provide treatment and does not employ dentists.

• Dental implants
• Bone grafting and sinus lifting

• How long should you plan to stay in Turkey for dental treatment?

  9 min read