Wisdom tooth removal can be carried out by a dentist or a specialist surgeon working in a hospital. If your dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Any charges and payment methods should be discussed before the procedure begins. Read more about
NHS dental charges. Before having your wisdom teeth removed, you'll be given an injection of local anaesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding area. If you're particularly anxious about the procedure, your dentist or surgeon may give you a
sedative to help you relax. This will usually be an injection into your arm. General anaesthetic is rarely needed for wisdom tooth removal. It's only occasionally used when the procedure is carried out in hospital. However, in this case, you should still be able to go home on the same day as the procedure. If the tooth hasn't come through the gum,
a small cut (incision) will be made in the gum to access it. A small piece of the bone covering the tooth may also need to be removed. The tooth may be cut into smaller parts to make it easier to remove through the opening. There's less need to make an incision if the tooth has broken through the gum. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth before
taking it out. You shouldn't feel any pain as your wisdom teeth are removed because the area will be numb. However, if you do feel pain during the procedure, tell your dentist or oral surgeon so they can give you more anaesthetic. How long it takes to remove the tooth will vary. Simple procedures can take a few minutes, but it can take longer than 20 minutes if it's more complicated. After surgeryIf an incision has been made, dissolving stitches are used to seal the gum. Your dentist will tell you how long the stitches take to dissolve (usually 7 to 10 days). Your dentist may place gauze over the site of the extraction and ask you to keep pressure on it by biting your jaws together for up to an hour. This is to allow a blood clot to form in the empty tooth socket. Blood clots are part of the healing process, so try not to dislodge them. In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed if you have an ongoing infection. For the 24 hours after removing your wisdom tooth, you should avoid:
Page last reviewed: 17 May 2021 OverviewWisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure to remove one or more wisdom teeth — the four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and bottom. If a wisdom tooth doesn't have room to grow (impacted wisdom tooth), resulting in pain, infection or other dental problems, you'll likely need to have it pulled. Wisdom tooth extraction may be done by a dentist or an oral surgeon. To prevent potential future problems, some dentists and oral surgeons recommend wisdom tooth extraction even if impacted teeth aren't currently causing problems. Why it's doneWisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last permanent teeth to appear (erupt) in the mouth. These teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Some people never develop wisdom teeth. For others, wisdom teeth erupt normally — just as their other molars did — and cause no problems. Many people develop impacted wisdom teeth — teeth that don't have enough room to erupt into the mouth or develop normally. Impacted wisdom teeth may erupt only partially or not at all. An impacted wisdom tooth may:
Problems with impacted wisdom teethYou'll likely need your impacted wisdom tooth pulled if it results in problems such as:
Preventing future dental problemsDental specialists disagree about the value of extracting impacted wisdom teeth that aren't causing problems (asymptomatic). It's difficult to predict future problems with impacted wisdom teeth. However, here's the rationale for preventive extraction:
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How you prepareYour dentist may perform the procedure in the office. However, if your tooth is deeply impacted or if the extraction requires an in-depth surgical approach, your dentist may suggest you see an oral surgeon. In addition to making the area numb with local anesthetic, your surgeon may suggest sedation to allow you to be more comfortable during the procedure. Questions to askQuestions you may want to ask your dentist or oral surgeon include:
Preparing for surgeryA wisdom tooth extraction is almost always performed as an outpatient procedure. This means that you go home the same day. You'll receive instructions from the hospital or dental clinic staff on what to do before the surgery and the day of your scheduled surgery. Ask these questions:
What you can expectDuring the procedureYour dentist or oral surgeon may use one of three types of anesthesia, depending on the expected complexity of the wisdom tooth extraction and your comfort level. Options include:
During wisdom tooth extraction, your dentist or oral surgeon:
After the procedureIf you receive sedation anesthesia or general anesthesia, you're taken to a recovery room after the procedure. If you have local anesthesia, your brief recovery time is likely in the dental chair. As you heal from your surgery, follow your dentist's instructions on:
When to call your dentist or surgeonCall your dentist or oral surgeon if you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, which could indicate an infection, nerve damage or other serious complication:
ResultsYou probably won't need a follow-up appointment after a wisdom tooth extraction if:
If complications develop, contact your dentist or oral surgeon to discuss treatment options. Jan. 31, 2018 |