Tooth extraction in Blackpool — what it costs and what happens

We only take a tooth out when keeping it is no longer a good option. Common reasons are decay that has gone too deep to fill, a crack that runs below the gum, a tooth that is loose because of advanced gum disease, or a baby tooth that is blocking an adult tooth.

If the nerve inside the tooth has died but the tooth itself is still strong, root canal treatment is often the better choice. It keeps your own tooth, and a crown on top can give it many more years. We show you the X-ray and talk through both routes. The decision is yours.

Wisdom teeth are a separate subject. If a wisdom tooth is causing trouble, see our wisdom teeth page.

A simple extraction is when the tooth is visible above the gum and can be loosened and lifted out with hand instruments. Most extractions are simple ones. Front teeth (incisors) and premolars are from £210. Back teeth (molars) have more roots, so they are from £280.

A surgical extraction is needed when the tooth has broken off at the gum, the roots are curved or fused to the bone, or the tooth has not fully come through. The dentist makes a small cut in the gum and may divide the tooth into pieces to remove it. A few stitches close the gum afterwards. Surgical extractions are from £448.

Your X-ray tells us which type you need. We tell you at your examination whether we can carry it out here or whether a referral to an oral surgeon is the safer choice for your case.

We go through your medical history and any medicines you take. Tell us about blood thinners, bisphosphonates (bone medicines) or diabetes, because they change how we plan the extraction.

We numb the area with local anaesthetic. This takes a few minutes to work, and we check it has before we start. You stay awake. You feel pushing and pressure, but it should not be sharp. If it is, raise your hand and we stop and add more anaesthetic.

Once the tooth is out, you bite on a gauze pad for 10 to 15 minutes to help a clot form. We check the socket, give you written aftercare and send you home. Most simple extractions take 20 to 40 minutes in the chair. You can drive afterwards, because you have had no sedation.

Every price below is a "from" price. The exact figure for your tooth is confirmed in writing at your examination, before any treatment starts.

The emergency appointment fee covers the visit and diagnosis. The extraction itself is charged on top at the prices above. The full list is on our treatment price list.

0% finance over 6 or 10 months via V12 is available on larger plans such as implants, subject to status. Tower Dental is a credit broker, not a lender. See finance and payment for how it works.

The first 24 hours. The blood clot in the socket is what heals you, so protect it. Do not rinse, spit or suck through a straw. Do not smoke. Avoid hot drinks and alcohol. Eat soft food on the other side of your mouth. Rest, and keep your head raised on an extra pillow that night. Some oozing is normal. If it bleeds, bite firmly on a clean folded hanky or gauze for 20 minutes.

Pain relief. The numbness wears off after 2 to 4 hours. Take the painkillers you would normally take for a headache, following the packet instructions, before the numbness goes. We tell you at the appointment if any painkiller is not suitable for you.

Day 2 to day 7. From the day after, rinse gently with warm salt water (a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) after meals, for about a week. Brush your other teeth as normal, but go carefully near the socket. Bruising and swelling can appear on day 2 or 3 and then settle. Stitches, if you have them, usually dissolve on their own in 1 to 2 weeks.

The gum closes over the socket in about 1 to 2 weeks. The bone underneath keeps filling in for several months. That matters if you are thinking about an implant later.

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) happens when the blood clot is lost from the socket too early, leaving the bone exposed. It is uncomfortable but it is treatable. It is more common after lower molar extractions, in smokers and in people taking the contraceptive pill.

Signs to look for: pain that was settling but gets worse 3 to 5 days after the extraction; pain that spreads to your ear or along the jaw; a bad taste or smell; a socket that looks empty or shows white bone rather than a dark clot. Normal healing pain gets a little better each day. Dry socket pain goes the other way.

What we do: call us on 01253 353759 and we will see you as soon as we can. We gently wash out the socket and place a soothing dressing. Most people feel much better within a day or two of the dressing going in. You may need it changed once or twice. There is no charge listed for this on our fee list; we confirm any cost when you call.

Call us straight away if: bleeding will not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure; swelling is getting worse after day 3; you have a fever; or you find it hard to swallow or open your mouth. Outside our hours (Mon–Fri 08:30–17:30), call NHS 111.

You do not have to replace every tooth that comes out. A back molar can sometimes be left as a gap. But a gap can let neighbouring teeth drift and make chewing harder, and a front gap shows when you smile. We go through the choices at your examination, with no pressure either way.

Dental implant (single implant & crown from £2,800). A titanium post is placed in the jaw and a crown is fitted on top. It does not touch the teeth either side. The socket usually needs a few months to heal and fill with bone before the implant is placed. Dr San Chatterjee, our dentist with a special interest in implantology, assesses implant cases. We do not have a CBCT (3D) scanner on site, so if your case needs one we arrange the scan elsewhere first.

Bridge (from £568.96 per unit). A false tooth held in place by crowns on the teeth either side. It is fixed, so it does not come out. It can be made once the gum has healed, usually a few weeks to a few months after the extraction. Read implants vs bridge to compare the two.

Denture (single arch from £1,029.25). A removable plate carrying one or more false teeth. It is the lowest-cost way to fill a gap and can be made soon after the extraction, then adjusted as the gum settles. Read implants vs dentures for the trade-offs.

Tower Dental is at 302a Devonshire Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY2 0TW, between Blackpool town centre and Bispham. There is free on-street parking on and around Devonshire Road. The practice is on the first floor, so it is not wheelchair accessible, but a stairlift is available. Tell us when you book if you would like to use it.

We see patients from across the Fylde Coast, including Bispham, Cleveleys, Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Fleetwood, Lytham and St Annes. We are open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:30. Our sister practice is Station House Dental Care in Barnoldswick.

Related: Sensitive teeth