Wisdom Teeth Removal

No. Many wisdom teeth come through straight and don’t cause pain or complications. Your dentist will monitor them during your routine check-ups and only recommend removal if they identify some obvious clinical issues, such as repeated infection, impaction or decay affecting neighbouring teeth.

There should not be any sharp pain felt, just some firm pressure as the tooth is being eased out. Don’t be perturbed by any swelling or soreness once the treatment is finished as it is completely normal and can be managed with some over-the-counter painkillers.

Simple removals can take a matter of minutes, while a surgical extraction takes longer. It will depend on the shape and position of the tooth.

The price will come down to the complexity of the extraction and whether there’s a requirement for specialised scans. Your dentist will clearly outline costs at your initial consultation. More information about costs is available on our dental fees page.

Yes, an initial X-ray such as an OPG panoramic X-ray is often required to view the position of the roots. In complex situations where the tooth sits close to a facial nerve, a 3D CBCT scan may be recommended to safely plan treatment.

At Toftwood Dental Practice, we can usually remove an impacted wisdom tooth quite comfortably. If your assessment shows that a tooth is particularly complex or sits unusually close to a nerve, we’ll openly discuss this with you and organise a referral to an oral surgeon if that’s the safest option.

Within about three to five days, most patients find that any initial swelling and tenderness significantly improves. It can be several weeks until the gum tissue and underlying bone fully heal, but this shouldn’t interfere with your daily routine after the first few days.

For the first couple of days, restrict yourself to cool, soft foods. Examples include smooth soups, yoghurts, mashed potato, scrambled eggs and smoothies without a straw. Give the gum tissue time to settle before you start eating anything hard, chewy, spicy or hot.