Removing a tooth that can't be saved, and planning what comes next
When it can’t be saved. At Horton Family Dental in Fort Collins, Dr. Joel Horton removes teeth that are badly damaged, decayed or causing pain, and plans with you what replaces the tooth if it needs replacing. If a filling, crown or root canal can keep the tooth, he’ll tell you that first.
Questions about wisdom teeth? See our wisdom teeth page. If you’re in pain right now, call (970) 224-5599.
Not every tooth needs replacing, but a gap can let the teeth beside it drift. These are the options Dr. Horton will go over with you:
Replaces the root and holds a crown, so the new tooth stays fixed in place.
Fills the gap with a false tooth anchored to the teeth on either side.
Replaces one or more teeth and comes out for cleaning.
Replaces every tooth in an upper or lower arch.
A full set of fixed teeth on a small number of implants.
For some back teeth, leaving the space is a fair choice. Dr. Horton will tell you when that's the case.
Dr. Horton will look at the tooth, take digital X-rays if needed, and tell you your options and what they cost before anything is done.
A few simple steps help the spot heal.
For the first day or so:
We’ll give you aftercare steps for your own extraction. Call us if the bleeding doesn’t slow down, or if the pain gets worse after a few days instead of better.
The area is numbed first, so most of what you feel is pressure. If you’re nervous, ask us about nitrous oxide and the other ways we help you relax. Some soreness afterward is normal, and over-the-counter pain relief usually handles it.
It depends on the tooth and how it needs to come out, so we’ll tell you the cost before we start. Dental insurance often covers part of an extraction, and Horton Family Dental accepts CareCredit.
Keeping your own tooth is usually the better choice when it can be saved. Dr. Horton will look at the tooth, take X-rays if needed, and tell you both options before anything is done.
Dr. Horton helps with your questions about wisdom teeth, whether it’s having a painful tooth extracted or a consultation about their eruption or whether they need to be removed. More on our wisdom teeth page.
Most people are back to their normal day within a day or two. The gum takes a few weeks to fully heal, and the bone beneath it takes longer.
Call (970) 224-5599 during office hours and we’ll find you the earliest time we can. More on our emergency dental care page.
Updated November 2026
Have a painful, broken or badly decayed tooth? Call us at (970) 224-5599 or send us a request, and we’ll set up a time for you to come in. We accept insurance and CareCredit.
