From a single broken tooth to impacted wisdom teeth, we explain why removal is recommended, how the visit works, and what comes next, before anything is scheduled.
Oral surgery in a general dental office covers the procedures that involve removing teeth or working in the bone that holds them: extractions, wisdom teeth, grafting a socket after a tooth comes out, reshaping bone before dentures, and placing dental implants. At Cleburne Dental, Dr. Payam Zohdi performs these routinely, and refers the cases that belong with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, such as corrective jaw surgery or deeply buried teeth sitting on the nerve.
A recommendation to remove a tooth should never arrive without an explanation. Before anything is scheduled, you will see the X-ray, hear why the tooth cannot reasonably be kept, learn what the alternatives are, and understand what the day will be like. Comfort comes from local anesthesia, a slow pace, and clear communication; you stay awake and in control throughout.
Each section below introduces a question patients ask and links to the detailed guide that answers it.
Most patients who need oral surgery fall into one of these situations:
A tooth that cannot be repaired. Severe decay, a fracture into the root, a failed root canal, or advanced gum disease can leave a tooth that no filling or crown will hold. Our guide to tooth extractions explains simple and surgical removal.
Wisdom teeth that are impacted or causing trouble. Partly erupted third molars trap food and bacteria and can damage the molar in front. Our wisdom teeth page explains which ones should come out and which can stay.
Preparing for tooth replacement. Implant placement is a surgical procedure, and a socket preservation graft or other bone grafting may be needed to build a stable site. See our dental implants section for the full picture.
Preparing for dentures. Sharp ridges or uneven bone are sometimes smoothed so a denture fits comfortably.
First question: can the tooth be saved?
Extraction is permanent, so the alternative deserves a fair hearing. A tooth is worth saving when the problem can be treated and enough solid tooth and bone remain to rebuild it so it lasts. Root canal treatment clears infection inside the tooth but does not fix a vertical crack or a tooth broken below the gum.
Our guide Can this tooth be saved? walks through what makes a tooth restorable, guarded, or hopeless, and how to compare the complete paths, root canal plus crown against extraction plus replacement, rather than just the first fee.
Simple and surgical extractions
The words describe technique, not pain or recovery. A simple extraction lifts a fully visible tooth from its socket. A surgical extraction creates access first, with a small gum opening, a little bone removed, or the tooth divided into sections, when the tooth is broken at the gumline, has curved roots, or is still under the gum. Dr. Zohdi plans the approach from the X-ray and tells you beforehand what to expect for your tooth.
Wisdom teeth get an individual assessment
Not every wisdom tooth needs removing. One that is upright, fully through the gum, and easy to clean can stay like any other molar. Teeth that are infected, decayed, damaging a neighbor, or trapped in a position that cannot be kept clean are the ones we recommend removing. A panoramic X-ray shows each tooth's angle, root shape, and distance from the nerve canal and sinus, and that is what determines how involved the removal will be and whether it is better done in our office or by an oral surgeon.
Before your appointment
Your medical history shapes the plan. Tell us about every medicine and supplement you take, especially blood thinners and bone medicines for osteoporosis or cancer; heart conditions or artificial joints; diabetes; allergies; and any past problems with numbing or healing. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own before a dental procedure; if a change is needed, we coordinate it with your physician.
Comfort during the procedure
We use local anesthesia for extractions and oral surgery. A topical gel goes on first, the anesthetic is placed slowly, and we wait until the area is fully numb. You will feel pressure and movement but not sharp pain. We agree on a hand signal before we begin so you can pause us at any point, and we explain each step as it happens if you want to know.
Because you are awake and alert the whole time, you can drive yourself home after a routine procedure and will remember the instructions we give you. If you are anxious, say so when you book; our page on dental anxiety explains how we adapt the pace.
Recovery and follow-up
Healing is mostly your body's work, and your part is to protect it in the first few days. You will leave with written instructions specific to what was done. In general:
Follow the instructions. Bite on gauze, avoid straws, spitting, and smoking, eat soft foods, and start gentle salt-water rinses the day after surgery. Our extraction recovery guide explains what is normal day by day.
Keep the mouth clean, gently. Brush your other teeth normally and keep bristles off the socket for the first few days. A clean mouth heals faster.
Attend follow-up visits. Surgical sites, grafts, and stitches are usually checked at about a week so we can confirm healing is on track.
Pain should ease a little each day after day three. If it instead returns stronger, read about dry socket and call us; a dressing placed in the office brings fast relief. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, rapidly spreading swelling, or bleeding you cannot control is an emergency: go to the emergency room or call 911. For urgent dental problems during office hours, call (817) 641-6261.
Deciding what goes in the space
Bone shrinks after a tooth is removed, and neighbors can drift into the gap, so the replacement question belongs before the extraction, not after. Depending on the tooth, options include a dental implant, a fixed bridge, a removable partial denture, or leaving the space. If an implant is the plan, the extraction is done more gently and a socket graft often goes in at the same visit. Our guide to what happens after a tooth is removed compares the options, their timing, and the temporary teeth that can cover a visible gap while you heal.
When we refer you to an oral surgeon
Most extractions and wisdom teeth are handled here in Cleburne. We refer to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon when a tooth's roots overlap the nerve canal, when a medical condition calls for care beyond a dental office, or for corrective jaw surgery and facial trauma. We will tell you plainly when that is the better choice and help arrange it.
Not during the procedure. Local anesthesia keeps the area numb; you feel pressure, not pain. Expect soreness for a few days afterward, controlled with over-the-counter medicine, ice, and soft foods.
How long does recovery take?
Most people are back to normal routines within a few days after a simple extraction and about a week after surgical removal or wisdom teeth. The gum closes over in a couple of weeks and bone fills in over months.
What does an extraction cost?
It depends on whether the removal is simple or surgical, the tooth's position, imaging, and whether grafting or a temporary tooth is included. You receive a written estimate first, and our insurance and financing pages explain how we help with payment.
If a tooth is bothering you, or you have been told one needs to come out, request an appointment at our Cleburne office. We will show you what we see, explain every option, and make sure you understand the plan before anything happens.
