Incisor tooth extraction. Close-up of an upper incisor tooth being extracted from a patient's jaw and gum. The tooth shows signs of granulation, the build up of tartar formed from salts in the saliva around the gum line. The incisors are the teeth at the front of the mouth. Tooth extractions are necessary when there is severe tooth decay, when an abscess has formed, or when a tooth is too badly damaged to be repaired.