Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out.
A wisdom tooth that’s healthy, fully through and easy to clean can usually stay. We’ll keep an eye on it at your check-ups.
Wisdom teeth and extractions in Croydon.
Wisdom teeth removal and other extractions: what’s involved, what recovery is like, and when we refer.
Open Monday to Saturday
The short answer.
- When
- When a wisdom tooth is stuck, partly through or infected, or a tooth is too broken or infected to save.
- How
- With a local anaesthetic. Sedation, including IV sedation, if you’re nervous.
- Recovery
- Most people are back to normal in a few days; a lower wisdom tooth removed surgically can take a week or so.
- Cost
- Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts.
When a tooth
has to come out.
Wisdom teeth are the last molars, usually arriving in the late teens or twenties. Many come through without trouble. Some get stuck against the tooth in front, come through partway, or have no room, and cause pain, infection or decay.
Other teeth come out when they’re too broken or infected to save. We’ll talk through whether a tooth can be kept before suggesting it comes out.
Signs of wisdom
tooth trouble.
Swelling spreading to your face or neck, or trouble swallowing or breathing? Go to a hospital emergency department. For other pain, call us first
Pain or swelling at the back of your jaw.
Sore, swollen gum over a tooth coming through.
A bad taste or smell from the back of your mouth.
Food trapped behind your back teeth.
Pain when you open wide or chew.
How a tooth is removed.
We explain each step before we start, and you can ask us to pause.
We look and X-ray.
An X-ray shows where the tooth sits, its roots, and how close it is to the nerve in your jaw.We plan with you.
Whether it should come out, the risks, the cost, and whether we do it here or refer you.We numb the area.
A local anaesthetic. You’ll feel pressure as the tooth is loosened. Tell us if you feel anything sharp.We remove the tooth.
Some lift out simply. Others need a small cut in the gum, removal in pieces and a few stitches.We go through aftercare.
How to look after the socket, what to eat and what to watch for, before you leave.
Nervous about it? We offer sedation, including IV sedation. Sedation options
Good to know.
When we refer.
Teeth deep in the bone or close to the nerve can be better removed by a surgeon, sometimes in hospital. If yours is one, we’ll explain why and refer you.
Other extractions.
Teeth that are badly broken, infected, or loose from gum disease can also be removed. If it leaves a gap, we’ll talk through a bridge, an implant or a denture.
What it costs.
The quote depends on how hard the tooth is to remove, which the X-ray shows.
Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts.
What changes the price.
- Whether the tooth is through the gum or still under it.
- Whether it has to come out in pieces.
- How many teeth come out at once.
- X-rays beforehand.
Health funds and claiming.
Ask your fund what it pays for the item numbers on your quote. You can claim on the spot through HICAPS; your rebate depends on your cover.
Costs and health fundsRisks and recovery.
Like any dental treatment, this carries risks, and results vary from person to person. Read the risks below and ask us about your situation before you decide.
What can go wrong.
Dry socket.
The blood clot comes away and the socket aches one to three days later. It’s treatable, so call us.
Swelling, bruising and a stiff jaw.
Usually worst on the second or third day.
Bleeding.
Some oozing on the first day is normal. Bite on gauze if it keeps going, and call us if it doesn’t stop.
Infection.
Fever, worsening pain or pus are reasons to call.
Nerve injury.
Lower wisdom teeth sit near the nerve to your lip, chin and tongue. Rarely, removal leaves numbness or tingling, usually temporary and occasionally permanent. Your X-ray tells us how close it is.
Recovery.
Rest for the day.
Keep your head up and skip exercise.
Soft food, and no straws.
For the first few days. Sucking can dislodge the clot.
No smoking.
Smoking raises the chance of dry socket.
Keep it clean.
Gentle salt-water rinses from the next day, as your dentist advises.
Back to normal in a few days.
A lower wisdom tooth removed surgically can take a week or so.
Who you’ll see.
Extractions are done by one of our dentists. If your tooth needs surgery elsewhere, we refer you.
Questions we’re
often asked.
Something else on your mind? Ask us on the phone, or leave your number and we’ll call.
Request a callbackDo all four wisdom teeth have to come out?
Not necessarily. It depends on which ones are causing trouble and where they sit. We’ll talk through the options at your consultation.
Should I have them out before they cause problems?
Usually not. Healthy wisdom teeth that cause no trouble don’t need to come out. Your dentist will keep an eye on them at your check-ups.
Does it hurt?
The area is numbed, so you’ll feel pressure rather than sharp pain. It’s sore for a few days afterwards, and pain relief and cold packs help.
How long is recovery?
Most people are back to normal within a few days. A lower wisdom tooth removed surgically can take a week or so.
Can I be asleep for it?
We remove teeth with a local anaesthetic, and offer sedation if you’re nervous: you stay awake but relaxed. Being fully asleep means a general anaesthetic in hospital, and we can refer you.
How much does it cost to have a tooth or wisdom tooth out?
It depends on how hard the tooth is to remove, which the X-ray shows. A tooth that’s fully through costs less than one under the gum that comes out in pieces. You’ll have the fee after the X-ray, before anything starts. If we refer you, the surgeon’s fee is separate.
What is dry socket?
Dry socket is when the blood clot in the socket comes away and leaves the bone exposed. It usually shows one to three days after the extraction as a deep ache that gets worse, sometimes with a bad taste. Call us: we clean and dress the socket, which eases the pain.
Is bleeding normal after an extraction?
Some oozing on the first day is normal. Fold clean gauze over the socket and bite firmly for 30 minutes without checking it. If it’s still bleeding heavily after that, call us, or after hours go to a hospital emergency department.
Can you take out an infected tooth?
Often, yes. We check whether it can come out the same day or whether root canal treatment can save it. If you have trouble breathing or speaking, or swelling around your eye or neck, go to a hospital emergency department; for a fever or trouble swallowing, call us the same day.
Can I have all my teeth out and get dentures?
Sometimes, if the teeth can’t be saved. One of our dentists takes the teeth out, and our dental prosthetist can make immediate dentures beforehand so you leave with teeth. We’ll talk through whether any teeth are worth keeping first, because they help hold a denture in place.
What can I eat afterwards?
Soft, cool food for the first few days: yoghurt, eggs, soup that isn’t hot, mashed vegetables. Chew on the other side and avoid straws.
Does Medicare or my health fund cover wisdom teeth removal?
Medicare doesn’t cover most adult dental care. If your extras cover includes dental, your fund may pay part, and you can claim on the spot with HICAPS. If we refer you for a general anaesthetic in hospital, your hospital cover pays towards the hospital, and for the anaesthetist, Medicare usually pays 75% of the schedule fee and your hospital cover pays the other 25% (Commonwealth Ombudsman).