Wisdom teeth removal cost without insurance

Does Insurance cover tooth extraction?

Most insurances (including HMO and PPO) cover tooth extraction as this is still considered a basic service by most insurances here in the USA. This Includes both government and private insurance. Percentage of coverage will vary depending on the type of extraction (Coverage is usually 80% or 50% of the cost). It is not uncommon to find an Insurance carrier that will cover simple extractions but not surgical extractions. Coverage will also depend on the type of plan you have with your Insurance carrier.

How long does it take for your gums to heal after tooth extraction ?

This will vary from individual to individual. It will also depend on which tooth we are talking about and if it was a simple or surgical extraction. Either way, complete healing of the gums after a tooth extraction will take about 21-30 days. It should however be noted that healing starts with blood clot formation and that is why you should not do anything that will distort the clot like spitting continuously, rinsing vigorously, eating/drinking warm or hot stuff, smoking, drinking alcohol and the use of straw to drink following an extraction. It takes about 6 months for the socket (new bone formation) to fully heal.

What is the average cost of tooth extraction?

How much does it cost to have a tooth extracted? The average cost of a single tooth extraction in Houston is $250. Depending on the type of extraction (simple/surgical ) this can go as high as $500. It should also be noted that surgical extraction is mostly commonly associated with wisdom teeth extractions, rotten or decayed tooth. If you need to pull any tooth other than wisdom tooth, it will cost from $150 – $400 at Keem Smile Dentistry. The high range of 400 is for teeth with “possible complications” which is only 30% of the time.

How long should I wait to eat after getting a tooth pulled?

You can eat and drink shortly after you get your tooth extracted as long as the numbing has gone away and the bleeding has stopped. It just has to be a food you don’t have to chew. It must be a food that you only swallow. If you must chew, you should wait at least 2-3 hours after getting a tooth pulled before chewing. This is because the numbness from the anesthesia usually lasts about 3 hours during which if you try to chew on anything, you might bite or chew on your tongue, cheek and lips unknowingly causing more damage to your mouth. So wait till the effect of the anesthesia has worn off before chewing. It is also advisable to be on a soft diet after getting a tooth pulled. Cold coffee is allowed but hot coffee, hot drinks/foods, soda and spicy food should also be avoided. Also no straws for drinking for 48 hours.

Can the emergency room pull a tooth?

Only a dentist is trained and licensed to perform dentistry hence a tooth extraction procedure. So no, emergency room doctors can’t do much more than prescribe antibiotics and/or painkillers. This is to suppress the pain but it doesn’t fix the problem and you will still need to see a dentist. Either way, you are better off seeing a dentist as the cost of an ER visit is usually higher than an Emergency Dental visit. Also, you won’t have to wait forever if you visit a dentist office unlike ER. We see emergency/walk-in patients at Keem Smile all the time.

Can I go to work after getting a tooth pulled?

The simple answer to this would be yes, but that would leave out so many other important factors that need to be considered before you decide to get back to work after getting a tooth pulled. The time it takes to return to work is relative to the type of extraction, type of anesthesia used, overall health status and how well you follow the post op Instructions. Even though we expect some pain or discomfort after the anesthesia wears off, this can easily be managed with the prescribed pain medication. The best practice however is setting aside about 24 hours after tooth extraction for recovery to avoid post operative complications. Patients with jobs that require more vigorous activities will want to take more time off and avoid pain medication that might make them drowsy

Is it dangerous to have a tooth pulled?

Tooth extraction is a minor surgery with very minimal risks. Still, it is worth putting the risks in perspective. While there is no accurate figure as to how often tooth extractions get bluffed, it is estimated that only 1 in about 365,000 patients suffer a brain injury or death when they are sedated during a tooth extraction procedure. Having the procedure done without being put to sleep reduces the risk significantly. Other complications might include infection spreading, bleeding or nerve damage; all of which are relatively uncommon. Nerve damage can mostly be avoided with a good 3-dimensional X-ray.

Is tooth extraction painful?

Does tooth extraction hurt? No! Getting a tooth Pulled should not be painful. It might sound scary though especially considering that a lot of patients have dental anxiety and are scared of the dentist. The truth of the matter however, is dentistry has really evolved with so many new tools and techniques for surgical extraction and pain management. The dentist would usually administer local anesthesia to numb the extraction area so that you don’t feel pain while the tooth is being pulled. You could also be put to sleep so you sleep right through the procedure. Dentistry has evolved from the days of pulling teeth with the dentist’s knee on your chest! Older generations would understand this better. Discuss pain management with your doctor and tooth extraction should not hurt.