•‎ ‎ ‎ Infection may develop in the gum flap overlaying the tooth, or decay may develop in the tooth

•‎ ‎ ‎ Impacted teeth may damage the teeth beside them

•‎ ‎ ‎ Wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean, making them prone to decay and infection

•‎ ‎ ‎ Should the tooth fail to erupt, a cyst may form and, by gradual enlargement, endanger the health of the nearby bone and teeth

•‎ ‎ ‎ These problems can be prevented by the timely surgical removal of the teeth, which we are able to ensure is completed as stress-free as possible with our various sedation options.

A cut is made in the gum to expose the whole tooth. Some of the surrounding bone may need to be removed, and sometimes the tooth may be divided into pieces to assist in its removal. The area from which it has been removed is cleansed, and stitched to restore the normal contour of the gum and to help keep food out of the socket. The stitches used may dissolve or may require removal at a later date.

We will assess the difficulty of extracting the wisdom tooth and discuss your options. A wisdom tooth can be removed with a simple local anaesthetic to numb the area, so no pain is felt during the procedure. We can also offer sedation to help you feel more relaxed during the surgery or ensure you have limited memory of the procedure. If general anaesthetic is required, then this is done by a specialist in a hospital, to whom we can refer you.

After the operation, you may have pain and swelling which may last up to one week. Painkillers will be prescribed to help you with the pain, and all instructions for care of the surgery site will be discussed with you prior to you leaving the clinic. The swelling will make it difficult for you to open your mouth wide, and you will need to eat soft foods that don’t require a lot of chewing. Plan to take rest after your extraction so you can allow your body to heal. We review all surgical extraction sites a few days after the treatment to ensure that healing is on track.

Yes, as there are with all operations, and these will be discussed with you in depth prior to treatment starting. Firstly, you could develop an infection in the wound site. This delays healing and can cause pain. To help prevent this, you will be given care instructions and sometimes an antibiotic to take during the healing period.

Secondly, there are two nerves that run close to the wisdom teeth. If they are damaged, they cause a tingling or numbness of the chin, tongue or lip on the side worked on. This numbness usually subsides over a few months. Xrays are taken prior to commencement of treatment to assess the degree of risk of nerve damage in your particular case.