Does tooth height make a difference for extraction ?

I have a problem wisdom tooth and it raised higher so was annoying me, I am waiting currently for a dental surgeon to remove it. So in the meantime the dentist filed it down which has helped so I no longer hit it when I bite. But the height of the tooth seems to have reduced by half, on some of it. Does height of tooth make a difference to removal if at least some is above the surface ? Or do they use tweezers that would need to go below the tooth and gum anyway ? See photo below. 1/4 of that tooth by the way was missing before, it just seems to now have increased to about half. Does this make nerve damage just as likely as with a impacted tooth now ? Sorry for the paranoia, I suffer badly from anxiety and just a bit stressed this may mean a more difficult extraction.

Warning in advance, my tooth is partially broken so photos are a bit gross as it is a half broken tooth.

Tooth as it is now.............

AFTER bite reduction today (angle 1) : (broken links removed)
AFTER bite reduction today (angle 2) :

BEFORE bite reduction pics below........

BEFORE bite reduction December (top down) :
BEFORE bite reduction and loss of filling November (side) :

The height of the tooth isn't much of a problem. I had a tooth that was broken/worn all the way down to the gumline, and I was terrified of them having to dig around and all kinds of nasty stuff. It came out so easy I didn't even know it was out.

The procedure is actually a lot different from what you imagine. I'll describe it gently to give you an idea. The important thing to know is that they don't *pull* your tooth, at all. So there's no need for them to need anything to "grab onto".

Your tooth is actually held in its socket by ligaments, which I think of as kind of like glue. What the dentist actually does is rock the tooth firmly but gently from *side to side*. As it rocks back and forth, the glue releases its grip, at which point the tooth really isn't attached anymore, and it kind of... falls out. There's no tugging or pulling. So, even though your tooth is "short", all that's really needed is a little bit of something to push on, which works even if your tooth is effectively flush with the gums as mine was. Each of the three teeth I've had out was in bad a shape or worse as yours. They were all super easy and painless.

Here's a slightly more detailed description of what sensations to expect. I won't use scary words or descriptions, but read at your own pace.

For the teeth I've had pulled, the dentist starts as always by getting you good and numb. Then, she pushes on the tooth slowly, from one side, then the other. If the tooth is broken off too much to push from one side, she may use the handset to cut a little ledge to give her something to push on. But, if you imagine pushing on your own tooth with the blunt end of a toothbrush, it's kind of like that. Pressure-wise, put your finger on your forehead and press really hard. It's like that.

It takes five to ten pushes to get the tooth to release. Each push lasts maybe five seconds. They don't get any harder or softer. None of them should hurt. If you feel anything, raise your hand, and the dentist will get you more numb. I have never actually felt the tooth come out. Just several pushes, and then at some point the dentist might say, "And, it's out." I really didn't believe her the first time. In other cases, I've asked, "Is it almost out?" And she's said, "Oh, the tooth's been out for a while. We're just cleaning up."

After you're numb, the actual extraction just takes a few minutes. It's over before you know it.

One bad bit: sometimes the tooth with crack or break. It can make an unpleasant sound. It doesn't hurt; it doesn't make the tooth any harder to extract. But it can be unnerving. Just know that it's normal.

After your tooth is out, your dentist will clean up the socket a little. She may put a stitch or two in. She'll have you bite down on a square of gauze to apply some pressure, and you'll probably hold that down for an hour or so.

After-care can be a little yucky for the first couple hours, but then it's mostly just being super gentle and eating soft foods. A couple Ibuprofen or OTC pain killers will probably feel good, but honestly I've never really had any pain after, just a headache from all the stress.

Good luck and feel free to ask more questions or babble out your worries. It's easy to let your imagination get the better of you, and people on this forum who've been there can help.