At SmileVerse Dental Clinic in Friendswood, TX, Dr. Greiss approaches every extraction from the same starting point — preservation. The goal is always to save natural teeth wherever possible, and every extraction begins with a thorough evaluation to confirm that removal is truly the most appropriate course of action. When it is, Dr. Greiss performs the procedure with a level of precision, care, and gentleness that makes the experience far more manageable than most patients anticipate. Whether you need a routine extraction of a damaged tooth or the surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth, you are in experienced, capable hands.

Extractions become necessary for several reasons. Severe decay that has destroyed too much tooth structure for a crown or filling to reliably restore it, advanced gum disease that has eroded the supporting bone to the point where a tooth is no longer stable, a root fracture that extends below the gum line, or a tooth that is causing crowding in advance of orthodontic treatment — each of these situations may require removal to protect the overall health of the mouth. In all cases, Dr. Greiss will review your clinical records, discuss the findings with you, and confirm that extraction is the right decision before scheduling anything.

Wisdom teeth — the third molars that typically emerge in the late teens or early twenties — are among the most commonly extracted teeth. Most adults do not have enough space in their jaw to accommodate four additional molars comfortably. When wisdom teeth are impacted, meaning they are fully or partially trapped beneath the gum line or against the adjacent tooth, they can cause significant pain, infection, damage to the neighboring second molar, and cyst formation in the jawbone. Even when an impacted wisdom tooth is not causing active symptoms, Dr. Greiss may recommend removal to prevent problems from developing — because removing them early, when the roots are not yet fully formed and the surrounding bone is more forgiving, produces a faster and more comfortable recovery than waiting until a problem forces the issue.

Surgical wisdom tooth extractions are performed under local anesthesia, with sedation options available for anxious patients. Dr. Greiss uses CBCT 3D imaging when the wisdom tooth anatomy warrants it — particularly when roots are positioned near the inferior alveolar nerve — to plan the procedure with precision and minimize risk. An incision is made in the gum tissue, the tooth is sectioned if necessary to allow for the most conservative removal possible, and the site is sutured and covered. Most patients are surprised by how well-managed their discomfort is in the days following surgery with the prescribed aftercare protocol.

Recovery from a simple extraction typically takes three to five days. Wisdom tooth surgery recovery is usually one to two weeks. In both cases, Dr. Greiss provides detailed written aftercare instructions, and our team is available to answer questions throughout the healing process. Once a tooth has been removed, Dr. Greiss will also discuss replacement options — because a missing tooth, even one not visible in the smile, has real long-term consequences for bite function and jawbone health that are worth planning around.