Wisdom Tooth Extraction

The wisdom tooth is a third molar that grows behind your back molar, usually coming between your late teens and early twenties. Most adults get four wisdom teeth (one in each of the positions behind your molars), whilst others get less, more or even none at all. More often than not, these teeth have to be extracted.

Wisdom tooth extraction is a necessary treatment when the tooth does not grow through the gum in a normal manner or doesn’t grow through the gumline (i.e. is impacted). It involves making incisions in the surrounding gum tissue and then removing the tooth either in one or several stages. The incisions are then stitched up to heal.

We will assess the progress of your wisdom tooth as they erupt through your gumline and will only perform an extraction if they are negatively affecting your dental health. If an extraction is necessary, we will talk you through the procedure in full, to make sure that you are comfortable before we proceed. Before the extraction starts, we will administer an anaesthetic to remove any pain or discomfort during the procedure (usually this is injected into the surrounding area, though in some cases an IV sedation anaesthetic will be provided).

The extraction begins by making several incisions in the gum tissue around the wisdom teeth, so that we can access it more easily for extraction. We then remove the tooth from the root, or by dividing the tooth into sections and removing it piece by piece. The extraction area is then cleared of any tiny tooth or bone fragments, and cleaned thoroughly. Lastly the incisions are stitched together to promote their healing, either with a self-dissolving material or solid stitches which are removed in a follow-up appointment. Although this kind of treatment is entirely successful, we offer our patient’s additional appointments to track the healing of the area, which can take some time.

Wisdom tooth extraction is only performed when the tooth is affecting your dental health. Most wisdom teeth are extracted because they cause a number of issues (which are corrected by extraction) including:

• Pain
• Damage to a neighbouring tooth
• Damage to the jawbone
• Overcrowding (which shifts the other teeth in the mouth)
• Infection or gum disease
• Tooth decay
• A cyst around the wisdom tooth
• Complications for maintaining the health of the tooth

Once you have had your wisdom tooth extracted, all of the issues related to it will no longer exist. Whilst it isn’t compulsory to have your wisdom tooth removed, it is a very common procedure that most people undergo, and is nothing to worry about.

If your wisdom tooth is causing you grief, you should book an appointment immediately! Alternatively, get in touch with our team, and they can answer any questions you might have.