Whether your dentist or a specialist is removing your wisdom tooth the procedure is the same: First, a local anesthetic is given to make the procedure more comfortable. In some cases, your doctor may elect to administer nitrous oxide gas in addition to the anesthetic or use a general anesthetic to put you under entirely.  Once the area is numb, the extraction begins. A dental instrument called an elevator is used to wiggle the tooth in its socket.  After the tooth is loosened it is removed using forceps or in some more complicated cases, a surgical handpiece is also used to assist with the removal of the tooth.