What you feel, step by step
| Stage | What you feel |
|---|---|
| Numbing gel and injection | A brief scratch, then spreading numbness over a few minutes |
| Loosening the tooth | Pressure and pushing, no sharp pain |
| Removal | A firm push or a click; often over quickly |
| First hours after | Numb lip, cheek or tongue for two to four hours |
| Days 1–3 | Soreness that settles with ordinary painkillers |
| Days 3–7 | Steadily better; most people forget about it by the end of the week |
Simple vs surgical extraction
A simple extraction removes a tooth you can see, using instruments, with no cut. Pain afterwards is usually mild.
A surgical extraction, for broken, impacted or wisdom teeth, involves a small cut in the gum and sometimes removing a little bone or dividing the tooth. Local anaesthetic is used to manage pain during treatment. Tell your dentist if you feel discomfort; soreness, swelling and jaw stiffness can occur afterwards. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeon carries these out.
What helps afterwards
- Take a painkiller you know is safe for you before the numbness wears off, as advised.
- Rest with your head raised on the first night.
- Use a cold pack on the cheek in the first 24 hours.
- Eat soft, cool food (see what to eat after an extraction).
- Don’t smoke.
If you’re nervous
Tell us when you book. We explain what’s happening before each step, agree a stop signal, go at your pace and make sure you’re fully numb before we start. See comfort-focused dentistry.
Call us if
- pain gets worse after day two or three, especially with a bad taste
- bleeding doesn’t stop with 20 minutes of firm pressure
- swelling keeps increasing, or you have a fever
Read more about tooth extraction and the extraction cost guide.
Questions patients ask us
Is tooth extraction painful with anaesthesia?
No. You'll feel pressure and movement, which can be strange, but not sharp pain. If you feel anything sharp, tell us and more anaesthetic is given.
Is the injection painful?
Most people feel a brief scratch. A numbing gel on the gum first and a slow injection make it more comfortable.
Which is more painful, extraction or root canal?
Neither should hurt during treatment. Afterwards, an extraction socket usually aches for a few days, while a root-treated tooth is often just tender to bite on.
Is tooth extraction painful for kids?
Milk teeth usually come out easily, often in a few minutes. Our paediatric dentist uses gentle numbing and explains each step in child-friendly words.
Is extraction for braces painful?
These are usually healthy premolars with straight roots, so they're often among the more straightforward extractions.
How long does pain last after a tooth extraction?
Most pain eases within two to three days. Pain that gets worse around day two to four can be dry socket and should be checked.
Sources
ADA MouthHealthy: tooth extractions ↗NHS: wisdom tooth removal ↗Last updated 18 October 2026.