ORAL SURGERY AND TOOTH REMOVAL
Removing a wisdom tooth, only when it is the right decision.
Many wisdom teeth never cause trouble, and some do. Whether a tooth needs to come out depends on where it sits, how it is behaving and what it is doing to the teeth and gums around it. An examination comes first, so the advice fits you.
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Clear examination. Calm, well-explained care.
Advice made around your teeth.
THE IDEA IN ONE PICTURE
Taking out a wisdom tooth means numbing the area, freeing the tooth from the gum and bone around it, and removing it while protecting the tooth next door. How simple or involved that is depends on the tooth, and is only known after examination and imaging.
Illustrative concept of careful removal.
Wisdom teeth are hard to see and hard to clean, so problems can build up quietly. How a tooth feels does not always show what is happening beneath the gum, so an examination comes before any decision.
A wisdom tooth that is tilted or has not fully emerged can trap food and be hard to keep clean.
Gum that keeps becoming tender, swollen or bad-tasting around a back tooth is worth having checked.
A wisdom tooth that presses on its neighbour can make that tooth harder to clean and more prone to trouble.
A tooth that decays or sits in unhealthy gum can be difficult to repair because of where it is.
When to seek care promptly. Swelling of the face or jaw, difficulty opening your mouth, fever with tooth pain, or severe pain should be looked at urgently. If you have trouble swallowing or breathing, contact emergency services straight away.
Two wisdom teeth that feel alike can need very different care. Your dentist weighs several things before advising whether to remove a tooth, and how:
Not every wisdom tooth needs to be removed. A healthy tooth that is easy to clean may simply be monitored, and that is a perfectly good outcome of an assessment.
These are stages and options rather than choices to pick from a menu. Which apply to you is decided only after assessment.
Your dentist examines the tooth, gums and bite, and usually takes an X-ray. A more detailed scan is sometimes used when the tooth lies close to important structures.
Before any decision about removal, so that the advice is based on how the tooth is actually positioned.
The area is numbed, the tooth is loosened and then lifted out. Some pressure is felt, but the area should not feel sharp pain. Stitches are sometimes needed.
When the tooth has come fully through the gum and its roots and position make straightforward removal suitable.
A small opening is made in the gum. Some bone may be removed, or the tooth may be divided into pieces so it comes out safely. Stitches are usually placed afterwards.
When the tooth is tilted, only partly through, or held beneath the gum or bone, or when its roots are curved or hard to reach.
Local anaesthetic numbs the area for the procedure. Other options, such as sedation, may be discussed where they are available and suitable for you.
Local anaesthetic is used for removal. Extra comfort options are considered for more involved procedures, or for people who feel anxious about treatment.
The tooth is left in place and checked at regular visits, with X-rays when your dentist feels they are needed.
When the tooth is healthy, not causing problems, and can be kept clean, so removal would carry risk without clear benefit.
A clinical examination and an X-ray, so your dentist can see the tooth and the structures near it.
Whether removal is advised, how it would be done, the risks and benefits, and what to expect.
The area is numbed and the tooth is removed, in one visit, with care for the surrounding teeth and tissues.
You are given written aftercare advice, and a review visit if your dentist feels one is needed.
The steps, the length of the visit and the number of visits depend on the individual case.
Some soreness, swelling and stiffness in the first days is common and usually settles. Knowing what is normal makes recovery easier:
Your dentist will explain the risks that apply to your tooth before you agree to treatment. Photographs on this page are illustrative and do not show clinic patients or results.
No. Wisdom teeth that are healthy, fully through the gum and easy to clean are often left alone and checked regularly. Removal is usually advised when a tooth is causing or likely to cause problems. Your dentist will explain which applies to you.
The area is numbed first, so you should feel pressure and movement but not sharp pain. Some soreness is normal once the numbness wears off, and your dentist will advise how to manage it.
It varies. A simple extraction can be quick, while a tooth that is tilted or beneath the gum takes longer. Your dentist can give you an idea of the likely time after seeing your X-ray.
The first few days are usually the most noticeable, and the area continues to heal over the following weeks. Recovery tends to be quicker after a simple extraction than a surgical one. Your dentist will advise on time away from work and activity for your case.
As with any procedure, there are risks. They include bleeding, infection, a painful empty-feeling socket (dry socket), and, for lower teeth, temporary numbness of the lip, chin or tongue, which is rarely long lasting. Your dentist will go through the risks that apply to you before treatment.
You can usually eat soft food once the numbness has worn off, following your dentist's advice. If you have sedation, you will normally need someone to take you home and should not drive. Your dentist will explain what applies to the option you choose.
Wisdom teeth commonly come through between the late teens and the twenties. A dentist can look at them on an X-ray and advise whether to wait, monitor or treat. Removing healthy teeth in advance is not automatic, and is decided case by case.
Start with an examination and a clear conversation about whether removal is needed, and what your options are.
Your dentist will go through your medical history at your appointment.
At your first visit
