Emergency dental treatments
Emergency tooth extraction: when it is the right call and what to expect
Sometimes the kindest thing we can do for a tooth is take it out. Here is how we decide, what the extraction feels like, what it costs, and how the socket heals over the first week.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, Principal Dentist · GDC 301711 · Last reviewed April 2026
When removing the tooth is the right emergency treatment
An extraction ends the pain of a dying nerve or an abscess as completely as a root canal does, because the source of infection leaves with the tooth. We recommend it when there is not enough tooth left to rebuild, when the root has split, when advanced gum disease has loosened the tooth beyond recovery, when a wisdom tooth keeps flaring up, or when a root canal is possible but has a poor chance of success and you would rather not spend the money on it. It is also the answer for a baby tooth that has become infected and cannot be settled any other way.
Two things push us towards extraction on the day rather than later: a spreading infection that needs its source removed quickly, and pain that nothing else will control. If you arrive with a severe toothache and the X-ray shows a tooth that cannot be saved, we can usually remove it at the same visit.
Extraction or root canal: how we decide
At the £30 examination we look at four things. How much sound tooth is left above the gum, because a crown needs something to hold on to. Whether the root is cracked, which an X-ray sometimes shows and a probe around the gum often confirms. How the bone around the tooth looks, since a tooth with severe bone loss will not last even with a perfect root filling. And what the tooth is for: a molar you chew on is worth more effort than a wisdom tooth that meets nothing.
Then we put the fees side by side. A root canal from £450 plus a crown from £750 keeps the tooth. An extraction at £120 to £260 removes it, but leaves a gap that many people later fill with an implant from £2,400. Neither is right for everyone. We give you our recommendation and the reasons, and you choose.
What happens during an emergency extraction
Medical check.
Anaesthetic.
Loosening.
Delivery.
Closing.
Emergency extraction fees
Where a tooth falls in the range depends on how many roots it has and how firmly it is held. The exact fee is confirmed in writing before we start. Full pricing is on the emergency fees page.
| Treatment | Fee (from) |
|---|---|
| Emergency examination including X-rays | £30 |
| Tooth extraction (simple) | £120–£260 |
| Wisdom tooth extraction | £350–£450 |
| Conscious sedation, per session, if wanted | £200 |
| Out-of-hours (after 6pm weekdays, weekends) | Additional charge |
The first 24 hours after an extraction
Everything in the first day is about protecting the blood clot in the socket. The clot is the scaffold the new gum and bone grow into; lose it and you get a dry socket. So: no rinsing, no spitting, no sucking through a straw and no smoking for 24 hours. Do not poke the socket with your tongue or finger. Eat soft, lukewarm food on the other side once the numbness has gone, and avoid alcohol and hot drinks for the rest of the day. Keep your head raised on an extra pillow that night.
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen as directed on the packet, ideally before the anaesthetic wears off. Some oozing of blood-stained saliva is normal. If the socket bleeds properly, roll a clean piece of gauze or a damp tea bag, place it over the socket and bite firmly for 30 minutes without checking. If that fails, call us; the overnight line is answered by Dr Ijaz.
Healing over the first week
From day two, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals and before bed, a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, letting it fall out of your mouth rather than spitting. Brush your other teeth normally and the teeth next to the socket carefully. Pain should ease steadily. The gum closes over in one to two weeks; the bone underneath takes months. Call us if pain gets worse from day two or three instead of better, especially if it spreads to the ear and there is a bad taste: that is the pattern of a dry socket, which we can dress the same day. Call too if swelling increases after 48 hours, if you develop a fever, or if a sharp piece of bone works its way to the surface.
Risks of extraction and honest limits
Extractions are routine, but not risk-free. Dry socket affects a small minority, more often after lower molars and in smokers. A root tip can break off; small fragments are often left safely, larger ones are removed surgically. Lower wisdom teeth and some lower molars sit close to the nerve that supplies the lip and chin, and rarely that nerve is bruised, causing numbness that usually recovers over weeks. Upper back teeth have roots near the sinus and occasionally an opening is made into it, which is closed with stitches. Bruising and a stiff jaw for a few days are common and harmless.
The one thing extraction cannot do is undo itself. Once a tooth is gone, neighbouring teeth drift, the opposing tooth over-erupts and the bone in the gap shrinks. That is why we talk about replacement before the tooth comes out, not after.
Replacing the tooth later
Not every gap needs filling. A missing wisdom tooth, or a back molar with nothing to bite against, can often be left. A front tooth or a chewing tooth usually cannot. The options are a dental implant, placed by Dr Ijaz, a bridge on the neighbouring teeth, or a denture. The socket needs around three months to heal before an implant, so there is time to decide. Our page on living with a missing tooth walks through the choices and fees.
Questions, answered
Common questions
Does an emergency tooth extraction hurt?
You feel pressure and pushing, not pain. The tooth and gum are fully numbed first. If anything feels sharp we stop and give more anaesthetic. Afterwards the socket aches for a few days, which ordinary painkillers control.
How much does it cost to have a tooth pulled in Sheffield?
At Deepcar Dental Care a simple extraction is £120 to £260 and a wisdom tooth £350 to £450, plus the £30 examination with X-rays. Out-of-hours visits carry an additional charge.
Can you take an infected tooth out?
Yes, and removing it is the best way to clear the infection. The only reason to wait is a large, hot swelling that stops the anaesthetic working, in which case we drain it first and remove the tooth a few days later.
Do I need to stop my blood thinners before an extraction?
Usually not. Current UK guidance is to continue warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban and similar medicines for simple extractions, using local measures such as stitches and a dressing to control bleeding. Tell us what you take when you book.
How long does an extraction take?
A simple extraction takes five to fifteen minutes once you are numb, so around 30 minutes for the whole appointment. Difficult or multi-rooted teeth take longer.
Can I drive home after a tooth extraction?
Yes, after a local anaesthetic alone. If you have had sedation you must not drive for 24 hours and need an adult to take you home.
When can I eat after having a tooth out?
Once the numbness has worn off, usually two to three hours. Stick to soft, lukewarm food on the other side for the first day, then build up as comfort allows.
In pain? Don’t wait
Same-day emergency appointments, seven days a week.
£30 emergency examination including X-rays. Call now and a real person answers, or grab a slot online.
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