How Much Does a Tooth Extraction Cost in the UK?

By the team at Bollington Dental Practice, under the clinical direction of Dr Ellie Burrows, Principal Dentist. Updated August 2026.

Having a tooth out is the cheapest way to end dental pain and often the most expensive decision you will make. Here is what extractions cost, and what the gap costs afterwards.

The short answer

A straightforward private tooth extraction in the UK typically costs £100 to £300, and a surgical extraction £200 to £500 or more. At Bollington Dental Practice an extraction starts from £126, and you will have the exact cost before we begin. On the NHS, extractions fall into Band 2, currently £76.60 in England, which covers the whole course of treatment however many teeth are involved.

Why prices vary so much

• Simple or surgical. A tooth that is fully through the gum and comes out whole is a short appointment. One that is broken at the gumline, badly decayed or impacted needs a surgical approach, which takes far longer and sometimes needs stitches.
• Which tooth. A single-rooted front tooth is more predictable than a molar with three curved roots sitting close to the sinus or a nerve.
• Whether you are referred. Genuinely difficult extractions, particularly impacted wisdom teeth, are often better done by an oral surgeon. That costs more, and it is the right call when it is the right call.
• What replaces it. This is the number people forget. A gap at the back may need nothing. A gap you can see, or one that lets the neighbouring teeth drift, leads to a bridge, a denture or an implant, and those run from several hundred pounds to £3,000 and up.

What about the NHS?

Extractions are Band 2, currently £76.60 in England, and that single charge covers the full course of treatment. If the extraction is part of urgent treatment it may be charged at Band 1, £27.90. As with all NHS dentistry the difficulty is access, and like most practices locally we are not currently taking on new NHS patients.

Is taking it out the right decision?

Sometimes, clearly yes. A tooth split below the gum, or one destroyed by decay, cannot be rebuilt and holding on to it only invites infection. But where a tooth is saveable, saving it is usually better value over ten years even though it costs more today. Root canal treatment from £305 plus a crown from £600 is a bigger bill than a £126 extraction, until you price replacing the tooth. We will give you an honest view either way, including when the honest view is that it has to come out.

Budgeting for treatment? The cost checker lets you add up the treatments you are considering and see the plan-member price next to the standard one.

NHS, typical private and our price compared at a glance

NHS charges shown are the England band charges for 2026. We are not able to take on new NHS adult patients at present, and our own prices are confirmed in a written plan before any treatment begins. Every fee is listed on our fees page and in our treatment cost checker.

Frequently asked questions

Does having a tooth out hurt?

The extraction itself should not. It is done under local anaesthetic, and what you feel is firm pressure and movement rather than pain. Tell us if you feel anything sharp and we will top up the anaesthetic. Afterwards, expect soreness for a few days that ordinary painkillers handle.

How long does it take to heal?

The gum closes over within a week or two and the bone underneath continues to fill in for a few months. Most people are back to normal eating within a week. Avoid rinsing vigorously, smoking or using a straw for the first couple of days, because disturbing the clot is what causes a dry socket.

Do I have to replace the tooth?

Not always. A rear molar can often be left, and plenty of people manage perfectly well. What you should not do is decide by default. Teeth either side of a gap tend to tip into it and the opposing tooth can over-erupt, and that is harder and dearer to sort out later than replacing the tooth now.

Can I have it out on the same day?

Where you are in pain and the tooth is clearly beyond saving, often yes. We keep time in the diary for urgent problems. We will always examine, explain the options and give you the cost before doing anything irreversible.

One thing worth reading before the appointment: if pain gets worse around day three afterwards rather than better, that is usually dry socket, and it needs a dressing rather than more painkillers.

If you have a tooth causing trouble, call us on 01625 574609 and we will take a proper look before anything comes out. All our prices are published on the fees page.

Back to Blog