A common dental surgery is tooth extraction, which is usually necessary to resolve disease, trauma or an overcrowded mouth. Teeth that are visible above the gumline and can be pulled with forceps are usually removed by a simple extraction. You may undergo a surgical extraction when bone or tissue must be cut to remove the tooth. Surgical extractions typically also require stitches to close the wound. Wisdom teeth can be particularly stubborn to remove, and often by the time they are surgically removed they may be half erupted or they may be impacted.