Tooth Extraction in Westchester

Removing a tooth is the treatment nobody asks for and sometimes everybody needs. The decision is never casual at this office: a tooth comes out when saving it has stopped being the honest option — decay that has consumed too much of it, an infection that keeps returning, a crack through the root, or bone loss too advanced for the tooth to stand. At PhD Dental in Westchester, at 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90045, simple extractions are handled by our general dentists, and surgical cases go to our oral surgeon, Dr. Hassan Haidar, who sees patients here on scheduled days and is contracted with Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal. Every case starts with an exam and x-rays — $69 together without insurance — and a written price before anything is done. Call (310) 893-6304.

Simple extraction or surgical extraction — what is the difference?

The distinction is about access. A simple extraction removes a tooth that is fully visible above the gum and can be loosened and lifted out in one piece; most straightforward removals are this kind. A surgical extraction is for teeth that cannot come out that way: broken off at or below the gumline, stuck under gum or bone, carrying curved or fused roots, or so decayed that there is nothing solid to grip. Surgical removal may involve lifting the gum, removing a small amount of bone, or taking the tooth out in sections. The x-ray is what tells us which kind your tooth is — and we will show you the image and explain the classification before you agree to anything. (Wisdom teeth have their own page: our Wisdom Teeth Removal in Westchester page covers them.)

Does getting a tooth pulled hurt?

The appointment itself should not. The tooth and the area around it are numbed completely, and what patients feel during removal is pressure — sometimes considerable pressure — but not sharp pain; if you feel pain, we stop and add anesthetic. The days after are managed with over-the-counter pain relief for most patients, and we give you written aftercare instructions covering the clot that protects the socket, what to eat, and what to avoid. If you are anxious about the visit, tell us when you book: nitrous oxide can be requested at select offices, a calming medication taken before the visit is an option when someone drives you, and IV sedation is not something we offer. If you take the calming medication, you must have someone drive you to the office and home.

How much does it cost to get a tooth pulled?

It depends on the tooth, and the dependency is mechanical: a simple removal, where the tooth is loosened and lifted out, costs less than a surgical removal, where the tooth is broken, stuck under the gum, or has to come out in pieces. After the exam and x-ray, we tell you which kind your tooth needs and give you the price in writing before anything is done — no estimates invented over the phone. If you have Medi-Cal, extractions are a covered benefit, and emergency removal of a painful or infected tooth is covered emergency care. In-house payment plans and financing options can spread a remaining balance over time.

What happens after — healing and replacing the tooth

The first day sets the tone: bite on the gauze, protect the blood clot forming in the socket (it is the foundation of healing — no straws, no smoking, no vigorous rinsing while it establishes), eat soft foods, and expect the area to feel tender rather than painful. Most patients are back to ordinary routines within a few days. Then comes the conversation that should happen at the same visit, not months later: what replaces the tooth. A gap left empty lets neighboring teeth drift and the bone beneath shrink, so we lay out the replacement options while the plan is fresh — a dental implant, placed by our periodontist, Dr. Ori Levy, a bridge, or a partial denture — with timelines and written costs for each. Sometimes the implant conversation starts immediately, because bone preserved early is bone you do not have to rebuild later.

Common questions about tooth extraction in Westchester

My tooth hurts badly. Can I be seen today?

Call us — patients in pain are a priority, walk-ins are welcome at this office, and we do our best to see emergencies the same day. An exam and x-rays come first ($69 as a package without insurance), because a painful tooth occasionally turns out to be saveable, and saving it beats removing it when the findings allow. If swelling is spreading, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room or call 911 first, then call us. On Saturdays, when this office is closed, our Inglewood office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Do I have to replace a tooth after it comes out?

You do not have to — but you should hear what happens if you do not, because the gap is not neutral. The teeth beside and above a missing tooth drift and tip into the space, the bite changes, and the jawbone under the gap slowly shrinks. Back teeth that nobody sees are the ones patients most often leave, and they are also the ones whose absence quietly overloads the teeth that remain. The consultation prices every replacement route in writing so the decision is made with numbers, not pressure.

How many teeth can be removed at one visit?

More than one, when the plan calls for it — patients preparing for a denture, for instance, commonly have several teeth removed in a single appointment so healing and the denture timeline run together. What governs the answer is your health, the teeth involved, and the replacement plan; Dr. Haidar lays that out at the evaluation for surgical cases.

How do I start?

With the exam at our Westchester office: x-rays, a plain answer on whether the tooth can be saved, and — if it cannot — the removal plan and its price in writing, with replacement options in the same conversation. Call (310) 893-6304 or book online.

Tooth extraction in Westchester and the communities around us

Extraction patients reach our Westchester office from Kentwood and Westport Heights first, and from Ladera Heights, View Park-Windsor Hills, Hyde Park, Lennox, Playa Vista, Culver City, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Playa del Rey, and El Segundo beyond them. Surgical cases are planned around Dr. Haidar’s scheduled days here, and weekday follow-ups fit inside this office’s Monday-to-Friday hours.

Book an extraction evaluation in Westchester

Call (310) 893-6304 or book online, and ask for an extraction evaluation at the Westchester office. We are open Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM, at 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles. We accept PPO plans and Medi-Cal/Denti-Cal; we do not accept HMO plans.