Oral surgery in the south of Tenerife
In this clinic, pulling a tooth is what we do when there is nothing better left to do —and when it's time, it's done with planning, without drama, and already thinking about what will happen with the gap. Here is what you should know before accepting any extraction, and the aftercare manual that actually has evidence behind it.
Quick summary
Protect your tooth — and your wallet
An extracted tooth does not grow back, and replacing it costs quite a bit more than almost any treatment that would have saved it. That is why, when faced with a "we need to pull it"—here or at any clinic—these three questions are worth money:
If the honest answer to the first question is "no" — and sometimes it is — then yes: extracting properly, with the gap plan on the table, is the best dentistry available. That is what the rest of this page is about.
How we work
X-ray, medication review, and gap plan. You leave knowing what will be done, how, and what comes next.
The area goes completely numb and we check it before starting. During the extraction you will feel pressure and movement, not pain — and if you should feel anything else, you raise your hand, we stop and we reinforce it.
Technique that preserves the surrounding bone — it matters for healing and for a future implant. In surgical cases, with sutures.
Gauze, written prescription, and contact phone number. If there are stitches, a check-up to remove them and check the healing process.
Does it hurt afterwards? The first 24–48 hours there is discomfort and variable swelling depending on the case, which can be controlled with the plan we give you. The peak is usually the second day; from there on, it's downhill.
If it makes you nervous — which is normal
Let us say this clearly and slowly: With local anaesthesia, you won't feel any pain during the extraction.. The area is completely numb before we start, and we check it—we don't start until it is. What you will notice is pressure and movementa strange sensation, for sure, but not painful. Many patients comment afterwards that the worst part was the week spent overthinking it before coming.
And if at any point you noticed something more than pressure, Raise your hand and we'll stopthe anaesthesia is reinforced and we'll proceed whenever you say. That gesture —knowing that you control the rhythm— is more reassuring than any promise.
If dental anxiety is your thing, let us know when you book your appointment. Going slower, explaining every step before taking it, or simply agreeing on a "pause" signal takes very little effort and changes the entire experience. You won't be either the first or the most nervous person who has sat in this chair — and they all walked out on their own two feet, surprised by how manageable it was.
With evidence, not folklore
Following the extraction, a forms clot in the socket, which is literally the scaffolding of your healing. All aftercare consists of not disturbing it. Now then: not all traditional instructions carry the same weight. This is what the evidence strongly supports:
And the reasonable precautions, even with less evidence behind them: avoid straws, soft and lukewarm food on the first day, do not poke with the tongue, sleep with your head slightly elevated. They take little effort, don't disturb the clot, and that's it.
The first hours, in practice: Bite down on the gauze for 30–45 minutes and change it only if it continues to soak through; take the first dose of your prescription. before for the anaesthesia to wear off completely, to stay ahead of the discomfort; wait until you regain sensation before eating (and then, soft and warm foods, on the other side); and take the day easy — couch, a series, and your head slightly elevated when sleeping. The next day, practically normal life except for heavy exertion.
When to call without hesitation: bleeding that does not stop after biting on gauze for 30–45 minutes, pain that worsens from the second or third day instead of improving, swelling that continues to grow after 72 hours, fever, or difficulty swallowing or opening the mouth. For everything else: patience and the prescribed regimen.
It is the best-known complication: the blood clot is lost or dissolves prematurely, leaving the bone exposed. The typical sign: severe pain that appears or worsens at 2–4 days, when it should already be getting better, sometimes radiating to the ear.
Two things that almost all websites get wrong. First: It is not an infection —it is interrupted healing, and that's why antibiotics are not the treatment. Second: It's not your fault or the dentist's; it occurs in about 1–5 % of routine extractions, more frequently in smokers and in lower molars.
The good news: It is handled well and quickly. The socket is cleaned and a medicated dressing is placed, which provides almost immediate relief; a couple of replacements are sometimes needed. If this happens to you, don't just endure it at home with painkillers: a short visit will fix it.
Safety first
This block can save you from a serious scare. If you take anticoagulants or antiplatelets, the practice supported by current guidelines is clear: for simple extractions, the standard guideline is not to discontinue the medication Bleeding is controlled with local measures, and stopping it on your own exposes you to much greater risks than bleeding from a tooth. Any adjustment, if needed, is decided by your doctor, never by you or us on our own.
If you take bisphosphonates or other antiresorptives (osteoporosis, oncology): extractions require a specific protocol due to the risk—low with oral regimens, higher with intravenous ones—of bone healing problems. It is not an automatic impediment; it is information we need before to programme.
The rule of thumb: bring your medication list to the evaluation, even if it seems irrelevant to you. A two-minute conversation prevents 90 % of avoidable complications.
An empty space without a plan does not stay still: the neighbouring teeth tilt towards it, the opposing tooth extrudes, and the alveolar bone resorbs — especially in the first few months. That is why the moment to decide what goes there is before of the extraction, when all options are still open.
The honest options: a implant (sometimes immediate, sometimes delayed by a few weeks — the optimal timing is decided on a case-by-case basis), a bridge about the neighbouring teeth, one prosthesis when several pieces are missing, or — in specific pieces, such as some wisdom teeth the second molars without antagonist not replacing it at all, which is also a valid decision when made with information.
If the plan is an implant, tell the person extracting it: one careful extraction with the bone (and, in selected cases, socket preservation) leaves the area much better prepared and can save you from a graft later.
Transparency
Tooth extraction
From €90
Surgical extractions and wisdom teeth are evaluated separately after reviewing the X-ray and the difficulty of the case.
Indicative price. The final quotation depends on the clinical evaluation and is provided in writing before starting treatment.
The variable is the complexity: an extraction does not cost the same simple (accessible tooth, favorable roots) than a surgical (root remnants, curved roots, teeth broken at the gum line). The radiograph clarifies this before giving any numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Under local anaesthesia, you feel pressure and movement during the extraction, not sharp pain — and if you feel more, the anaesthesia is topped up. The real discomfort comes when the effect wears off: 24–48 hours of swelling and pain that can be managed with the prescribed regimen.
The gum closes in 1–2 weeks; inside, the bone continues to fill the socket for months. Normal life is resumed in a few days; for intense sports, it is better to wait 3–4 days.
It is the worst idea available: smoking multiplies several times the risk of dry socket, the most painful postoperative complication. An absolute minimum of 48–72 hours without smoking; every extra day adds up.
No — and this is important: never stop taking them on your own. In simple extractions, the usual guideline is to maintain the medication and control the bleeding with local measures. Any adjustment is decided by your doctor. Bring us your list of medications and we will coordinate it.
No: the normal thing is to improve day by day from the second one. Pain that gets worse at 2–4 days is the typical sign of dry socket — call us, because it is treated in a short visit and relief is fast. Enduring it at home based on painkillers is suffering for nothing.
Not mandatory, but almost always recommended — an unplanned gap causes neighbouring teeth to shift and bone loss. The options (implant, bridge, or not replacing in specific cases) are explained with their pros, cons, and prices before extraction, so you can decide on the whole picture.
That is exactly the first question we ask ourselves. Fillings, root canals, retreatment, and apicoectomies always come before extraction as long as the tooth is restorable. When we suggest extracting, it will be because those options have already been ruled out — and we will show you why on your X-ray.
First day: soft and lukewarm (nothing very hot), chewing on the other side. Afterwards, progress according to how you feel. Avoid straws, alcohol, and spicy foods for the first few days, and stay well hydrated.
Honest assessment
First we check if your tooth can be saved. If not, we extract it properly and with a clear plan for the gap. Write to us and we will call you to give you an appointment.
