Tooth Extraction · Murrieta, CA
Tooth Extraction in Murrieta: When a Tooth Really Has to Come Out
I'd rather save your tooth. When I can't, I take it out myself, gently, with the price in writing first.
Most people who call about getting a tooth pulled have already decided it's hopeless. Sometimes they're right. Often a filling, a crown, or a root canal would keep that tooth for another twenty years. This page walks through how I tell the difference, what the extraction itself involves, what it costs, and what the next two weeks look like.
The short answer
Do I need a tooth pulled?
You need an extraction when a tooth can't be repaired: it's split down into the root, decay has left nothing for a crown to hold onto, gum disease has taken the bone that anchors it, or an infection has gone past what a root canal can fix. A tooth that hurts, has a big cavity, or broke a corner usually isn't one of those, and a $20 exam with a digital X-ray at my Murrieta office tells you which group yours is in. If it does have to come out, I do simple and surgical extractions here on Date Street, usually in under an hour, with the fee in writing before I start. Taking out any tooth other than a wisdom tooth costs $195 to $450 here, depending on how hard it is to remove, which is less than the going rate around Murrieta and Temecula.
Tooth extraction at a glance
- Procedure
- Removing a tooth from its socket in the jawbone, either whole (simple extraction) or through a small gum opening, often in sections (surgical extraction)
- Who does it
- Dr. Bao Nguyen, in the same office where you're examined. Most impacted wisdom teeth, and any tooth deep in bone near the jaw nerve, go to an oral surgeon I work with.
- Numbing
- Local anesthetic for every case; nitrous oxide if you're anxious. If you need deeper sedation than that, I refer you to an office that provides it.
- Blood thinners
- Usually no need to stop them. On warfarin, I ask for a recent INR, and I use stitches and a dissolvable clotting sponge when the socket needs them.
- Chair time
- About 20 to 40 minutes for a simple extraction, 40 to 60 for a surgical one
- Downtime
- Most people are back at work the next day; the gum closes over in one to two weeks
- Cost
- Any tooth except a wisdom tooth: $195 to $450, set by how hard the tooth is to remove (whether it needs a gum flap or has to be sectioned). A tooth buried in bone usually goes to an oral surgeon; the $20 exam with digital X-rays tells you which group yours is in.
What the procedure is
What actually happens when a tooth is pulled?
A tooth isn't glued into the jaw. It sits in a bony socket, held there by a thin layer of ligament fibers that act like a shock absorber when you chew. Pulling a tooth means stretching that ligament and widening the socket slightly until the tooth lets go. Nobody yanks. The work is slow, steady pressure, and with good numbing you feel it as pushing, not pain.
There are two ways to do it, and I'll tell you which one you're having before you sit down for it.
A simple extraction is for a tooth that's fully up through the gum and in one piece. I loosen it with an instrument called an elevator, then lift it out with forceps. Once you're numb, the removal itself often takes a couple of minutes.
A surgical extraction is for a tooth that's broken off at the gumline, partly or fully buried (impacted), or has curved or fused roots that won't release. I make a small opening in the gum, sometimes remove a little bone, and often divide the tooth into sections so each piece comes out on its own instead of forcing the whole thing. "Surgical" sounds bigger than it feels; it's still local anesthetic in a regular dental chair, and it usually means a couple of dissolving stitches.
| Factor | Simple extraction | Surgical extraction |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tooth | Fully erupted, intact enough to grip | Broken at the gumline, impacted, or with curved or fused roots |
| Technique | Elevator to loosen, forceps to lift | Small gum flap, tooth often sectioned into pieces |
| Fee here (not a wisdom tooth) | The lower end of $195 to $450 | The upper end of $195 to $450; a tooth buried in bone usually goes to an oral surgeon |
| Chair time | About 20 to 40 minutes | About 40 to 60 minutes |
| Stitches | Rarely | Usually, and usually the dissolving kind |
| Soreness | A day or two, mild | Two to four days, with some swelling |
| Where it's done | Here, by me | Here, by me, unless the root sits on the jaw nerve or the case needs IV sedation |
Wisdom teeth have their own page, because impaction angles, age, and the "should I take them out before they cause trouble" question deserve more room. See wisdom tooth removal in Murrieta.
Who needs it
Which teeth actually need to come out?
I take a tooth out when keeping it would cost you more, in pain, infection, or money, than losing it. In my chair that comes down to a short list:
The symptoms that bring people in are usually less specific: a toothache that keeps you up, pain when you bite, swelling on the gum or face, a tooth that's broken off, a tooth that's loose. Any of those can mean an extraction. Most of the time they don't. That's the next section.
When you don't need it
When don't you need a tooth pulled?
This is the part of the visit that saves people the most money. A good share of the patients who come in asking me to "just pull it" leave with the tooth, because what's wrong with it is fixable. Here's what I see most often, and what I recommend instead:
| What you're feeling or seeing | What it often turns out to be | What I usually recommend |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp pain with cold or sweets | A cavity or an exposed root, with a healthy nerve | A tooth-colored filling |
| Throbbing toothache, worse at night | An inflamed or infected nerve in a tooth that's still solid | Root canal treatment and a crown |
| A big piece broke off | A fracture above the gumline with sound root underneath | A same-day crown |
| Pain when biting on one spot | A cracked tooth that hasn't reached the root | A crown to hold it together, sometimes after a root canal |
| A tooth that feels a little loose | Gum disease with enough bone left, or a tooth taking too much force from grinding | Gum disease treatment or a bite adjustment; see loose teeth |
| Swollen gum next to a tooth | A gum abscess or trapped food under the gum | Cleaning and draining the area, then fixing the cause |
| A wisdom tooth that never bothers you | A fully erupted, cleanable tooth, or a buried one with no disease around it | Watching it with X-rays at your regular exams |
Two things I won't do. I won't pull a tooth that I think can be saved without telling you so first, with the X-ray on the screen. And I won't talk you into a root canal and crown on a tooth that I think will fail anyway. If a tooth is borderline, I'll say it's borderline and give you the honest odds both ways.
Antibiotics alone aren't a way out of the decision, either. They can calm swelling for a while, but the American Dental Association's guidance is that the fix for a dental infection is treating the tooth, not a prescription. The infection comes back if the source stays.
What happens
What happens during a tooth extraction, step by step?
1Exam and X-ray
I look at the tooth, the gum around it, and a digital X-ray of the roots and bone. For a tooth near the sinus or the jaw nerve I may take a 3D cone-beam scan. You get a written quote before we schedule anything.
2Health check
We go over your medications and conditions: blood thinners, bone-strengthening drugs, diabetes, heart problems, joint replacements. Most need no change, though warfarin means I'll ask for a recent INR. A few need a note from your physician first.
3Numbing
Topical gel first, then local anesthetic, given slowly. I test the area and wait until you're completely numb. Nitrous oxide is there if you want it.
4Removal
Simple: loosen and lift. Surgical: a small gum opening and, often, sectioning the tooth so each piece comes out on its own. You'll feel pressure. You shouldn't feel sharp pain, and if you do, I stop and add more anesthetic.
5Socket care
I clean the socket, smooth any sharp bone edges, place a bone graft if we've planned one for a future implant, and add stitches if the gum needs them. For patients on blood thinners I often place a dissolvable clotting sponge in the socket too. Then gauze, and firm biting pressure.
6Home the same hour
You leave with written aftercare instructions and my office number. With local anesthetic or nitrous you can drive yourself.
How I diagnose it
How do I decide a tooth can't be saved?
I spent ten years as a Navy dentist, and a lot of that was deciding, quickly and with limited options, whether a tooth could be kept or had to go before a Marine shipped out. That habit stuck. I don't decide from the pain, and I don't decide from the photo you saw online. I decide from a handful of checks, and I show you each one.
What I check
- How much tooth is left above the bone. A crown needs at least a couple of millimeters of solid tooth wall to grip. If decay or a break has gone below that, a crown will fail no matter how well it's made.
- Whether a crack reaches the root. I test biting on each cusp separately, look with the intraoral camera and magnification, and probe the gum for the one deep, narrow pocket that a root fracture leaves.
- How much bone holds the tooth. Gum pocket measurements, mobility testing, and the X-ray tell me whether there's enough support for the tooth to be worth fixing.
- What the nerve is doing. Cold and tapping tests tell me whether the nerve is healthy, inflamed, or dead, which is the difference between a filling, a root canal, and sometimes an extraction.
- Where the roots sit. On lower molars I look at how close the roots come to the jaw nerve; on upper molars, how close they come to the sinus floor. That decides whether I remove it here or refer it.
| Finding | What it means | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy nerve, solid walls, cavity or chip | Restorable tooth | Filling, bonding, or crown |
| Dying or infected nerve, enough tooth for a crown | Restorable after root canal | Root canal and crown |
| Crack confined to the crown | Usually restorable | Crown, sometimes root canal first |
| Crack running down the root | Not restorable | Extraction, then plan the replacement |
| Decay below the bone level | Rarely restorable | Extraction in most cases |
| Severe bone loss, tooth moves in two directions | Poor long-term outlook | Extraction, or a trial of gum treatment if the bone is borderline |
| Root on the jaw nerve, or deep impaction | Higher surgical risk | Referral to an oral surgeon I work with |
Your health history matters as much as the X-ray
Before any extraction I ask about your medications. Most blood thinners don't need to be stopped; the American Dental Association's review of the evidence found that for most patients, altering anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy before dental work isn't necessary, and stopping one on your own can be more dangerous than the extraction. If you take warfarin, I'll want a recent INR, and on the day I control the bleeding right at the socket, with stitches and a dissolvable clotting sponge when it needs them. If you've taken bisphosphonates or denosumab for osteoporosis or cancer, I need to know, because those drugs carry a small risk of slow jaw healing; the ADA's summary puts that risk as rare for osteoporosis doses and higher for the cancer doses. And if you have a joint replacement, the ADA's current position is that most patients don't need antibiotics before dental procedures; I follow your orthopedic surgeon's instructions if they want you covered.
What happens to the bleeding afterward, and what to do if it won't settle, is on its own page: bleeding after a tooth extraction.
Cost
How much does a tooth extraction cost in Murrieta?
Taking out any tooth other than a wisdom tooth is $195 to $450 here, and the spread is about difficulty. A loose front tooth that lifts out whole sits at the bottom of that range. A tooth I can only reach by lifting a small flap of gum, or a molar I have to section so each root comes out on its own, sits toward the top. A tooth still buried in bone (impacted) is a different job, and most of those, including most impacted wisdom teeth, go to an oral surgeon I work with. These are the fees I publish:
$195
Tooth extraction
$195 to $450 per tooth, any tooth except a wisdom tooth; harder teeth sit higher in the range
$20
Exam and digital X-rays
Tells you whether the tooth can be saved, and gets you the written quote
$250
Simple wisdom tooth
Starting fee per tooth for an erupted wisdom tooth; impacted teeth are quoted after the X-ray
$500
Socket bone graft
Flat fee per site when a graft is needed to hold room for a future implant
Where your tooth lands in that range is on the quote you get after the exam. It's in writing, it lists exactly what's included, and it doesn't change once you're numb. Three things decide it:
- Whether it needs a gum flap. A tooth broken off at the gumline, or one without enough showing to grip, means lifting a small flap of gum to reach it. That takes longer and ends with stitches.
- Whether it has to be sectioned. Front teeth usually have one straight root. Molars have two or three, and they don't always point the same way. Pulling one of those out in a single piece risks fracturing a root or the bone around it, so I divide the tooth and take each root out on its own.
- What comes with it. A bone graft, sedation, or a temporary replacement are separate line items, and I'll tell you when one isn't worth paying for.
The going rate for extractions around Murrieta and Temecula is higher than my fee. For a wider yardstick, CareCredit's 2024 cost study, which surveyed what dental offices charge patients without insurance, put the average simple extraction at $177 nationally and $221 in California. Surgical extractions averaged $363 nationally and ran as high as $702. My range covers both kinds: $195 for an easy tooth, up to $450 for one that needs a flap and sectioning.
The fee isn't only about the minutes it takes. In my experience any extraction, even a simple one, can lead to a complication after you go home, and the fee has to match that level of risk.
The more expensive part of losing a tooth is usually what replaces it. If the tooth can be saved, a root canal and crown often costs less over ten years than extraction plus an implant. I'll put both numbers side by side so you're comparing real figures, not guesses.
If you're paying out of pocket, CareCredit financing is available to qualified applicants.
Insurance
Does dental insurance cover tooth extraction?
Usually, yes. Most dental plans treat an extraction as a basic or oral surgery service, which is typically covered at a higher percentage than crowns or implants. How much you pay depends on your plan's percentage, your deductible, and how much of your annual maximum you've already used.
We're in network with Delta Dental PPO, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Aetna, and United Concordia. If you have a different PPO plan, call us; we'll check your benefits before you come in, and we can send a pre-treatment estimate to your insurer when the case is larger.
For reference, these are the procedure codes your insurer will see:
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| D7140 | Extraction of an erupted tooth or exposed root (a simple extraction) |
| D7210 | Surgical removal of an erupted tooth, with bone removal or sectioning |
| D7220 to D7240 | Removal of an impacted tooth, from soft-tissue impaction to fully bony impaction |
| D7953 | Bone graft to preserve the ridge after an extraction |
Two plan rules catch people off guard. Some plans have a waiting period of several months before oral surgery benefits start, and some won't pay for a socket graft unless an implant is planned. We'll flag both before you're in the chair, not after.
Risks and limitations
What are the risks of having a tooth pulled?
There's no such thing as a minor extraction. In my experience every extraction, including a simple one, carries a real risk of a complication after you go home: any socket can bleed, lose its clot, or get infected. In the chair, a root can fracture or a tooth can turn out to be fused to the bone. That's why I take an X-ray and go over your medications before I pick up an instrument, and why you should hear the honest list before you sit down. Cleveland Clinic's overview covers the same ground.
| What can happen | What you'd notice | What I do |
|---|---|---|
| Dry socket | Throbbing pain that gets worse on day two to four, often toward the ear | Clean the socket and place a soothing dressing; relief is usually quick |
| Bleeding that won't settle | Bright red bleeding that soaks gauze after the first few hours | Firm gauze, then a moistened black tea bag; if that doesn't settle it, I recheck the socket and add stitches or a clotting sponge |
| Infection | Swelling or a bad taste that builds after day three, sometimes fever | Clean and drain the site; antibiotics when they're actually warranted |
| Numbness (lower teeth) | Tingling or numb lip, chin, or tongue after the anesthetic should have worn off | Usually temporary; I plan around the nerve on the X-ray or 3D scan, and refer close cases |
| Sinus opening (upper molars) | Air or fluid passing between mouth and nose | Close the opening at the visit; sinus precautions for a week or two |
| Root tip left behind | Usually nothing | Small tips that are safer left alone get monitored on X-ray; others are removed |
| Slow bone healing | Exposed bone in the socket weeks later | Rare; more likely after high-dose bone drugs or jaw radiation, which is why I ask first |
The real limitation of an extraction is the gap it leaves. Within months, the teeth on either side tip toward the space, the opposing tooth drifts toward it, and the ridge of bone where the root used to be starts to shrink. That's why the replacement conversation belongs in the same visit as the extraction.
Alternatives
What are the alternatives to pulling a tooth?
Before extraction, there are ways to keep the tooth. After extraction, there are ways to fill the space. Both lists matter.
Keeping the tooth
Filling or bonding
For cavities and chips where the nerve is healthy and the walls are solid.
Root canal and crown
For an infected or dying nerve in a tooth that still has enough structure. Usually the closest thing to keeping what you were born with.
Same-day crown
For a tooth that broke or cracked above the gum. Designed, milled, and seated in one visit.
Gum disease treatment
For a loose tooth that still has enough bone. Deep cleaning and laser therapy can firm it up.
Replacing the tooth after it's out
Wisdom teeth don't need replacing. Almost every other tooth does, sooner or later. These are the three options I place or build here, and the ADA's patient page on extractions makes the same point about planning for the gap:
Dental implant
A single implant replaces the root and stands on its own without touching the neighbors. I plan each one from a 3D scan.
Dental bridge
Uses the teeth on either side for support. Faster than an implant and often less expensive up front.
Partial or full denture
Removable, and often the practical answer when several teeth are missing.
Not sure which way to go? Bridge vs. implant walks through that decision. If you think you'll want an implant, tell me before the extraction. A socket graft placed the same day can keep the bone from shrinking while you decide. On an upper molar the sinus can complicate things later, which is what a sinus lift is for.
Recovery
What is recovery like after a tooth extraction?
Most of my patients are back at work the next day after a simple extraction and within two or three days after a surgical one. The first 72 hours are about one thing: protecting the blood clot that forms in the socket. That clot is the foundation the new gum and bone grow on.
| When | What's normal | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| First hour | Numbness, oozing | Bite firmly on the gauze; don't check it every five minutes |
| First evening | Pink saliva, mild ache as the numbness fades | Pain reliever before the numbness is gone, head raised on a pillow, cold pack on the cheek |
| Days 1 to 3 | Swelling peaks around day two, soreness eases | Soft food, no straws or smoking, gentle salt-water rinses after the first 24 hours |
| Days 3 to 7 | Steady improvement; a white or yellowish film in the socket is healing tissue | Back toward normal food on the other side; keep the area clean |
| 1 to 2 weeks | Gum closes over the socket; stitches dissolve | Normal eating, normal brushing |
| 2 to 4 months | Bone fills in underneath | The window for placing an implant or a permanent bridge |
If the socket is still oozing after the gauze, one thing I tell patients to try is a plain black tea bag. Wet it, squeeze it out, and bite on it over the socket for about 30 minutes. The tannins in black tea help the clot form, and a review of the published research supports it as a simple way to control bleeding after an extraction. Herbal tea won't do the same job. The full routine is on the bleeding after extraction page.
Three pages cover the parts of recovery patients ask about most:
- What to eat after a tooth extraction, day by day, including drinks, protein, and what to skip.
- Bleeding after a tooth extraction: what's normal, how to stop it, and when to call.
- Dry socket: what it looks like, how it differs from normal healing, and how I treat it.
Call the office at (951) 412-0127 if: pain gets worse after day two instead of better, bleeding soaks through fresh gauze after the first few hours, swelling keeps growing after day three, or you run a fever. Trouble swallowing or breathing, or swelling spreading down the neck or up toward the eye, is an emergency room visit, not a phone call.
The University of Michigan's oral surgery department publishes post-extraction instructions that line up closely with mine, if you like having a second source.
Patient reviews
What patients say about extractions and urgent visits
These are real Google reviews from Promenade Dental Care patients, quoted as they were written.
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“Amazing Dr. With high skills he extracted my wisdom tooth in 15 minutes no IV no broken teeth and no hassle”
Mahmoud Khairy · Google review
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“The wonderful staff here was quick to help me with emergency dental work. (Extraction in my case.) The team was very up front with quotes and pricing, and even accept care credit for uninsured patients. The procedure was quick and professional, and they even gave a courtesy call to follow up post procedure! Very nice team, highly recommended. 👏 I urge anyone who needs dental work to give then a visit, and leave a review for them aswell, they deserve the recognition.”
Raymond Sanchez · Google review
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“I am completely terrified of the dentist. I neglected getting anything done for years and years because of bad experiences and just general fear and anxiety. Well I got sick of having an aching jaw everyday so I came in and got a x-ray and consultation and they told me what work needed to be done. The price was pretty much half of what comparable dentists wanted and they were really really nice to me. So I saved up the money and went back in for the procedure. The doctor gave me some anxiety meds which completely relaxed me and they were just great about everything and I can honestly say I have way less fear and anxiety about going back to the dentist. The best part was they did all my procedures at once so I wouldn't have to make return visits. I got a tooth extraction, a crown, a handful of cavities, a deep cleaning and some other stuff all done at the exact same time. It's been 3 days now and everything is healing beautifully I'm no longer in any pain and I'm just grateful. So if you have any anxiety about going to the dentist, this is the place for you. Oh and tell the doctor I said get rid of that creepy tooth picture in the waiting room haha!”
Jay · Google review
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“Very knowledgable and good prices. Does only what is necessary. Does not just look for stuff to charge for. Got an appointment quickly when I thought it was an emergency. My favorite dentist ever!! 2024 recent visit: Unfortunately I needed two crowns replaced. He shows you where the problem is in the X-ray room. Plus, Dr. Bao has all the latest, modern equipment. The 2 crowns were created right in his office and you can see them being made in a window. He also has all the latest equipment, even a special camera, not X-ray, that takes hundreds of photos of where the crown will fit. Unlike in the olden days when they put putty stuff in your mouth. This was a clean and painless process. I felt fine afterwards and my mouth was no longer numb and I could easily go shopping at Costco afterwards, with my new crowns in the same day. He is the best!”
Sheila O'Connor · Google review
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“I had a dental emergency and the dentist called me immediately and was able to get me in within an hour of speaking to him. The front desk was extremely welcoming and kind. They went over options with me and without having dental insurance they were very affordable. Would recommend to everyone!”
brittani muiter · Google review
★★★★★Rated 5 out of 5 stars
“Dr. Nguyen does a great job. He is always on time and very honest. Never has you do unnecessary treatments, just to make extra money. I love that he is a solo practitioner and runs his own shop. That keeps his overhead costs low and he knows you more personally as a patient. All my family comes to see him. Best dentist I've ever had.”
Tom Haynes · Google review
FAQ
Tooth extraction questions patients ask me
Does getting a tooth pulled hurt?
The extraction itself shouldn't. Once you're numb you'll feel pressure and some pushing, not sharp pain, and if you feel anything sharp I stop and add anesthetic. The soreness afterward is real but manageable for most people with over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen for two or three days.
How long does a tooth extraction take?
Plan on about an hour in the office. The removal itself is often a few minutes for a simple extraction. Most of the appointment is the exam, numbing, and making sure the bleeding is under control before you leave. A surgical extraction usually runs 40 to 60 minutes in the chair.
Can you pull a tooth the same day I call?
Often, yes. If you're in pain, call (951) 412-0127 in the morning and we'll try to see you that day. If the tooth needs to come out and there's nothing in your health history that needs a physician's input first, I can usually remove it at the same visit.
Can you pull a tooth that's infected?
Usually, yes. Taking out the tooth removes the source of the infection, and waiting for antibiotics to work first isn't necessary in most cases. The exception is a severe, spreading swelling, where getting the infection under control first makes the numbing work better and the visit safer.
I take a bone-strengthening medication. Can I still have a tooth pulled?
In most cases, yes, but tell me before we schedule. Drugs like alendronate, risedronate, and denosumab carry a small risk of slow jaw healing after an extraction. The risk is low at osteoporosis doses and higher at cancer doses. I'll ask how long you've taken it, may talk with your physician, and will handle the socket more conservatively.
Can I have a tooth pulled if I take a blood thinner?
Usually yes, and usually without stopping it. Tell me what you take before we schedule. If it's warfarin, I'll ask for a recent INR so I know how your blood is clotting now. During the extraction I control bleeding at the socket, with stitches and a dissolvable clotting sponge when it needs them. Don't stop or skip a blood thinner on your own; that's your physician's call.
Will you refer me to an oral surgeon?
Only when it's in your interest. I remove most teeth here, including surgical extractions. I refer most impacted wisdom teeth, any tooth whose root sits right on the jaw nerve, and patients who need sedation deeper than laughing gas, which I don't offer. When I refer, I send the X-rays and stay involved in the plan.
Can I have more than one tooth pulled at the same visit?
Yes, and it's often easier on you: one numbing, one recovery. I'll usually keep it to one side of the mouth when I can, so you still have a side to chew on. For a full set of extractions before a denture, the plan is different, and we'd talk through it at the consultation.
Can I go to work the day after an extraction?
After a simple extraction, most people can. After a surgical one, plan for a day or two of rest, especially if your job involves heavy lifting, which can restart bleeding.
Should I keep a broken tooth that doesn't hurt?
Not always. A broken tooth that doesn't hurt may have a dead nerve, and those can turn into an abscess without warning. It may also be perfectly fixable today and unfixable in six months. A $20 exam with an X-ray tells you which, and there's no pressure to treat it the same day.
Why is the extraction fee a range instead of one price?
Because no two teeth come out the same way, and no extraction is free of risk. Any tooth other than a wisdom tooth is $195 to $450 at my Murrieta office. One that lifts out whole is at the low end; one that needs a gum flap, or has to be sectioned so each root comes out separately, is toward $450. A simple wisdom tooth starts at $250, and a tooth buried in bone usually goes to an oral surgeon. With PPO insurance, your share depends on your plan's percentage and deductible, and we check it before you come in.
Is it cheaper to pull a tooth than to save it?
On the day, yes. Over ten years, often not. An extraction is less expensive than a root canal and crown, but replacing that tooth with an implant or a bridge usually costs more than saving it would have. If you don't plan to replace it, the extraction is cheaper, but the neighboring teeth shift over time.
Do I need someone to drive me home?
No. With local anesthetic alone or with nitrous oxide, which wears off within minutes of turning it off, you can drive yourself home.
What's the difference between having a tooth pulled here and at an oral surgeon's office?
For most teeth, the procedure is the same. The differences are that oral surgeons offer IV sedation and handle the most difficult impactions and jaw surgery. Having it done here means one office, one set of X-rays, and the same dentist who'll plan the replacement.
Related services
Care that often goes with an extraction
Wisdom tooth removal
Erupted and slightly impacted ones here; deeper impactions go to an oral surgeon I work with.
Bone grafting
Socket preservation at the time of extraction, so an implant is still possible later.
Emergency dentist
Same-day care for broken, infected, and knocked-out teeth.
Dental exam
The $20 exam with digital X-rays that starts every one of these decisions.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
I graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry and served ten years in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps, including a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton. Navy dentistry meant a steady stream of extractions, many of them surgical, on sailors and Marines who needed a problem tooth gone before deployment. That's where I learned to work slowly and to be sure before taking a tooth out.
I've been in practice for 26 years and opened Promenade Dental Care in 2010. I take about 40 hours of continuing education a year and belong to the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, and the Tri-County Dental Society. My rule hasn't changed: save the tooth when it can be saved, and don't make anyone keep a tooth that's hurting them.
Find out if your tooth can be saved
A $20 exam with digital X-rays. If the tooth can be fixed, I'll tell you how. If it has to come out, you'll get a written quote and, usually, an appointment that week.
Promenade Dental Care · 26957 Date Street, Suite 204, Murrieta, CA 92563 · Serving Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, French Valley, Wildomar, and Southwest Riverside County