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Extractions · Aftercare · What Comes Next

Tooth Extraction in Tarboro, NC

When a tooth can’t be saved, we take it out here and help you plan what comes next.

Tarboro Family Dentistry, the practice of Dr. Gray Bailey, D.M.D., P.A., performs tooth extractions in Tarboro, NC, for teeth that are badly decayed, broken, or loosened by gum disease. Most extractions happen right in our office with a local anesthetic. Teeth that need oral surgery, including most wisdom teeth, go to an oral surgeon.

Call (252) 823-5739Request an Appointment
Dr. Gray Bailey leaning over a patient in the chair, wearing a mask and magnifying loupes

When Tooth Extraction Is the Right Call

Pulling a tooth comes after repairs can’t fix it. Common reasons include a tooth broken below the gumline, decay that has reached too deep, and gum disease that has loosened a tooth in its socket. Some of those teeth can still be saved with a root canal, which we refer to a specialist. Dr. Bailey walks you through both paths before anything comes out.

What to Expect During a Tooth Extraction

  1. Exam + x-ray. Dr. Bailey checks the tooth and the roots underneath to decide whether it comes out here or needs an oral surgeon, such as when the roots sit close to the sinus or a nerve.
  2. Numbing. A local anesthetic numbs the tooth and the gum around it. You stay awake and feel pressure as the tooth loosens.
  3. Removal. Dr. Bailey loosens the tooth and lifts it out.
  4. Gauze + instructions. You bite on gauze to help a blood clot form in the socket, and you leave with aftercare instructions.

We don’t offer sedation or nitrous oxide. If an extraction makes you nervous, say so when you call. Dr. Bailey will explain each step before he starts, and oral surgeons often offer sedation for more involved cases.

Tooth Extraction Aftercare That Protects the Clot

That blood clot is the bandage your socket heals under, so the first 2 days are about leaving it alone.

  • Skip straws, smoking, and vaping. The suction and chemicals can pull the clot loose.
  • Don’t spit or rinse hard. Rinse gently only when your instructions say to start.
  • Eat soft foods and chew on the other side.
  • Take it easy. Hold off on heavy lifting and hard workouts for a couple of days.

Call us if the pain gets worse after a few days or medication doesn’t touch it, if you run a fever of 100.4°F or higher, or if you notice pus around the socket. After hours, call the office and stay on the line: our voicemail explains how existing patients can reach Dr. Bailey.

What Replaces a Tooth After Extraction

A missing tooth lets its neighbors drift, so it pays to plan the replacement early. An implant crown, a bridge, or a partial denture can fill the gap. For an implant, an oral surgeon places the post and Dr. Bailey builds the crown that goes on top. The bone needs time to heal first, which gives you room to weigh the options.

See How Implant Crowns Work

Compare Bridges + Partials

Questions

Tooth Extraction Questions from Tarboro + Rocky Mount

Can You Pull My Tooth Today?

Call as early in the day as you can. Dr. Bailey’s Tarboro office sees patients with tooth pain as soon as it can, Monday through Thursday. At that visit, he’ll tell you whether the tooth should come out now, can wait, or needs an oral surgeon.

When Does a Tooth Need an Oral Surgeon?

Dr. Bailey refers an extraction to an oral surgeon when the x-ray shows it’s too complicated to do safely in a general dental office. That includes most wisdom teeth and teeth whose roots sit close to the sinus or to the main nerve in the lower jaw (the inferior alveolar nerve). You leave with a referral and call the surgeon’s office to schedule.

How Much Is a Tooth Extraction?

Tooth extraction cost depends on how the tooth has to come out and what your insurance covers. Dr. Bailey’s office is in network with Delta Dental and accepts CareCredit for costs insurance doesn’t cover. Ask for your cost at the exam, before the tooth comes out.

What Can I Eat After a Tooth Extraction?

Stick with soft foods for the first day or 2: yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, or pasta. Chew on the opposite side, skip crunchy and spicy foods, and let soup and coffee cool before you drink them. Work back to your normal diet as the soreness fades.

When Can I Use a Straw After a Tooth Extraction?

Avoid straws for at least the first 24 to 48 hours, and longer if Dr. Bailey tells you to. The suction can pull the blood clot out of the socket and cause dry socket, a painful complication that usually shows up 1 to 3 days after an extraction, according to the Mayo Clinic.

How Long Does a Tooth Extraction Take to Heal?

Most people feel back to normal within a few days and return to work or school in a day or 2. The jawbone under the socket takes several weeks to heal completely, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That timing matters if you plan to replace the tooth with an implant.

Start Your Tooth Extraction Exam with a Call

Call (252) 823-5739Request an Appointment