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Do I need to have my wisdom teeth removed?
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Wisdom teeth need to be removed if they become impacted or are at a risk of becoming impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth which do not fully emerge into the mouth because of blockage from other teeth. If the wisdom teeth do not have enough space to grow into the mouth, pain can develop with the onset of inflammation or infection or damage to the adjacent teeth. If you have not had your wisdom teeth removed and are experiencing pain near the back of your jaw, it may be worth visiting your dentist to find out if you need to have your wisdom teeth extracted.

What happens during extraction and after my wisdom teeth are extracted?

The standard wisdom tooth extraction procedure is to create an incision in the mucosa of the mouth, section the tooth and extract it in pieces. This can be completed under local anaesthetic, sedation or general anaesthetic.

Most patients will experience some pain and swelling that can be managed with over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen and return to school or work in 2 to 3 days.

Does my dental insurance cover wisdom teeth extraction?

Coverage varies by policy, but typical dental insurance plans cover the extraction of wisdom teeth.  We can help determine what is covered by your policy when you come in for an appointment.

Portions excerpted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impacted_wisdom_teeth under the Creative Commons license.
This Page Has 22 Questions

The information provided below does not constitute dental advice and is general in nature. It does not take into account your personal dental health and should not be acted on without consultation with a certified dental professional.

Bathurst Centre Dental Care accepts no liability for any loss or injury arising out of the use of this website or reliance on the content of this website.

  1. Hi Affan, the cost for wisdom tooth extraction varies a lot on a case-by-case basis. We won’t know the exact cost until we can do a proper assessment with X-rays. Please feel free to book a consultation with us. Thanks!

  2. Hello, i have a swollen bump in my third wisdom tooth ( pericoronitis ) which is feeling extremely itchy right now and i have difficulties in eating.

    I did not have any fever, only some severe headache and the next day i had this pericoronitis symptom

    How do i treat this symptom, and how do i know of it is in serious or mild conditions according to my statement above.

    1. Hi Voez, pericoronitis could potentially become very painful in a very short time, or it could potentially go away on its own after some discomfort. Although you don’t have a fever, the bump and severe headache is definitely a concern. Please visit a dentist as soon as you can. You may need professional treatment such as prescription antimicrobial mouth rinse or extraction.

  3. Hi Dr. Li, I recently had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed a little over a week ago. My bottom left tooth was impacted and the doctor had a harder time getting it out than the other side; he had to cut it into smaller pieces. Everything has healed fine, except now I have pain in my jaw on the left side whenever I try to open my mouth wider than 2 fingers’ width. I noticed that my lower jaw shifts towards the left when I open it, but returns to the center when I close it. The pain has been stable and hasn’t gotten worse, but also not any better. I’ve heard this is common after wisdom tooth removal, but I could not find information on how to help it heal. What are some things I can do at home to help it? Is it permanent? Thank you.

    1. Hi Claudia, what you are experiencing is common after a difficult extraction. Patients often find it difficult or painful to open their mouths due to the ligaments in the jaw joint having been stretched, swelling in the tissue, and sometimes muscle spasms. Healing times varies from patients to patient. Try to avoid anything that could cause more stress on your jaw joint like chewing gum or food that requires you to open your jaw too wide (cut food into smaller bites). If you’re usually a side sleeper, try sleeping on your back instead of the side of your face. As I cannot reliably assess your condition without an examination, I would encourage you to visit your dentist if things don’t seem to be improving or you still have concerns.

  4. Hi. I had a wisdom tooth removed yesterday. During the freezing injection, I could feel novacaine spray onto my tongue. Although the freezing in my gums went away within hours, I can still feel all the spots on my tongue that were sprayed are still frozen. Is this normal and/or is there anything I should do at this point?

    1. Hi Glenda, the roots of a wisdom tooth are sometimes located close to the nerve of the tongue. During the injection and/or removal of the wisdom tooth, the nerve may become slightly bruised or damaged. It is a common potential risk associated with wisdom tooth extraction. In most cases, a loss of sensation will diminish over time, but in some rare cases can be permanent. Please contact your dentist or oral surgeon’s office to report the numbness in your tongue if the sensation has not returned.

  5. Is it normal practice for my dentist to create a blood clot ahead of time and insert it after the extraction of my wisdom tooth?

    I’m not sure why dry socket takes 2 days to start, but my current condition since my extraction is exactly as dry socket was described everywhere.

    Sever throbbing pain from ear to ear began immediately after freezing wore off 3 hours post op. Pain medication has no relief. It’s been 4 days since my appointment, should I call my dentist and schedule an appointment?

    1. Hi Caleb, based on your description I am not certain whether or not you have a dry socket. But since you are in severe pain, I would encourage you to book a follow up appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

  6. I got my wisdom teeth removed 10 days ago and if I pull on my cheek the gum around my back molar moves. Like it comes off the tooth. Is this normal?

    1. Hi Michelle,

      Unfortunately, without a physical examination of the area I won’t be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis. For the removal of some impacted wisdom teeth or difficult extraction cases, the surgeon may need to create a gum flap and remove some bone around the tooth, so you may see some excess gum or a gum flap during healing period. However, I would encourage you to consult with your your dentist or oral surgeon regarding your specific case.

  7. I had my wisdom tooth extracted 3 years ago. It was an impacted teeth and the dentist I attended wasn’t as experiences, hence when she struggled to extract the tooth,she only removed it partially. I still have the roots and half of my teeth by the bone. It’s been broken and has sharp edges sticking out in the x-ray. It didn’t initially bother me but not I started to feel some discomfort. The dentist told me not to worry about it but I want to know if that’s dangerous? Thanks

    1. Hi Sarah, unfortunately, I cannot assess the condition of your wisdom tooth without an in-person examination. I would suggest booking an appointment with an oral surgeon to discuss your situation.

  8. Had my wisdom teeth removed a week and a half ago. (only bottoms) One side has almost completely healed there is only a tiny hole left but on the other side there a big hole that food keeps getting stuck in i drain it with a syringe every night I have no pain im just concerned because the one side is almost completely healed the other sides hole is huge especially when I use my finger to widen my mouth.

    1. Hi Matt, some wisdom teeth are more difficult to remove due to differing degrees of impaction. A bigger gum flap may need to be incised and more bone removal may be required for the more impacted teeth. These teeth may leave a bigger hole behind. It is still normal to see the hole a week after extraction. If you are experiencing an unusual amount of pain, or a bad taste and swelling in the area, call your oral surgeon as soon as possible for a post-op checkup.

  9. Last year November (about 11 months ago), I had four wisdom teeth removed, and it has healed well. Recently, I noticed a hard bump underneath my gums on both sides of my top teeth, where my wisdom teeth were removed. Is it possible that another set of wisdom teeth grew in after the first set were removed?

    1. Hi Angela, it is not possible for another set of wisdom teeth to grow in. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what the bump is without an examination of the area. If there is no discomfort, swelling, and rapid change in the size of the bump, you can probably just mention it to your dentist at your next visit to find out what it is.

  10. Is it possible for an adult tooth to grow in at 23 years old? ( Not a wisdom tooth but a canine tooth ) I had my baby one taken out too soon when I was young and was told it would not have room to come down, now I just noticed today that the very tip of it is protruding through the gum, does this mean it might actually come down? Also my wisdom teeth are coming in now, could that have affected this at all?

    1. Hi Jessica, it is unlikely but still possible for a retained tooth to erupt at age 23. However, it may or may not come down all the way to the same level as other teeth.

  11. I have been having awful headaches with sinus pressure. I am wondering if my wisdom teeth could be causing these?? My wisdom teeth have started to decay. I have been to the doctor and he keeps saying allergies are causing my headaches but nothing he’s provided has helped. And advice would be great.

    1. Hi Darcelle, headaches with sinus pressure can be caused by many things including decaying wisdom teeth. It is not possible for me to know for sure without a physical examination and x-rays. Please visit a dentist as soon as possible to avoid possible infection.

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