---
title: "What Is Surgical extraction? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "A surgical extraction is a tooth removal that needs more than simple loosening and lifting. The dentist may cut the gum or divide the tooth into pieces."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/surgical-extraction
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Procedures

# Surgical extraction

A surgical extraction is a tooth removal that needs more than simple loosening and lifting. The dentist may cut the gum or divide the tooth into pieces.

In a simple extraction, the dentist loosens a tooth and lifts it out with forceps. Some teeth need more. A surgical extraction is used for teeth that are broken at the gumline, badly decayed, or stuck under the gum or bone, such as an [impacted tooth](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/impacted-tooth).

Your dentist might need to make incisions in your gums to access your tooth. Or they may need to divide the tooth into sections before removing it. The area is numbed first. Your dentist may place stitches, called [sutures](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/sutures-stitches).

After the tooth is out, your dentist cleans and disinfects the socket and may place a bone graft. Aftercare steps matter, especially to protect the [blood clot](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/blood-clot-socket-clot). Some complex cases may be referred elsewhere, and your dentist will tell you if so. Our office describes removals on its [tooth extraction page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/tooth-extraction).

[Town Center Dental can helpTooth Extraction](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/tooth-extraction)

## Related terms

-   [Tooth extraction](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-extraction)
-   [Impacted wisdom tooth](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/impacted-wisdom-tooth)
-   [Sutures (stitches)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/sutures-stitches)
-   [Post-operative instructions](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/post-operative-instructions)
-   [Bone graft material](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/bone-graft-material)

## Sources

1.  [Cleveland Clinic: Tooth Extraction: Surgery & Healing](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22120-tooth-extraction)
2.  [Cleveland Clinic: Tooth Extraction: Surgery & Healing](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22120-tooth-extraction)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)