Wisdom tooth extraction – answers to common questions that should offer some relief

Wisdom teeth can cause a wide range of symptoms:

• localised pain and swelling of the surrounding gums, pericoronitis
• an unpleasant taste in the mouth or bad breath
• oozing
• in the most severe cases you might not be able to open your mouth properly, swallowing may be difficult, and the swelling may spread to the cheek or neck
• general symptoms such as fever

You may suffer with wisdom tooth trouble even if it has not erupted. An unerupted wisdom tooth may be connected to the oral cavity through a deepened gingival pocket in the last erupted tooth, where oral bacteria can enter the jawbone and cause an infection.

Wisdom teeth usually cause problems because there is not enough space for them to erupt.

Your dentist will remove a wisdom tooth when:

• the wisdom tooth does not fit properly in the mouth
• an unerupted wisdom tooth is infected with inflammation
• it is difficult to clean the wisdom tooth
• the wisdom tooth has not erupted or is not causing problems, but is connected to the oral cavity through the gingival pocket of the adjacent tooth
• an unerupted wisdom tooth is associated with a jaw cyst change

The wisdom tooth does not need to be removed if:

• you have no symptoms and the wisdom tooth is not inflamed
• it is fully erupted, cleanable and beneficial to the bite
• it is completely inside the bone, and there are no pathological changes, such as a jaw cyst

However, your dentist may recommend that you have an asymptomatic wisdom tooth removed as a precaution if they think that there will be problems with it.

For wisdom tooth extraction, your dentist will carry out a clinical examination and take a new x-ray of your teeth. The x-ray is important when the dentist is assessing the severity of the extraction.

If your wisdom tooth is showing symptoms, book an appointment with our dentist.

It's worth coming in for a wisdom teeth check-up around the age of twenty, even if you don't have any symptoms. Typically, wisdom teeth tend to erupt around this time. If problems are expected, it is often easier to have a wisdom tooth removed at a younger age than at a later age.

If your wisdom tooth is fully erupted, your dentist will leverage and pull it out:

1. You get a good anaesthetic.
2. The dentist leverages and pulls out the wisdom tooth.
3. The dentist puts a sheath in the extraction cavity to form a blood clot, and the cavity begins to heal.
4. Standard wisdom tooth extraction is usually quick and takes a few minutes or no more than 15 minutes if the roots of the tooth are not difficult. In that case, the dentist will usually split the tooth into sections before pulling it out.
5. Usually one visit to the dentist is enough.

If the wisdom tooth is not fully visible, but the dentist decides that it should be removed, the solution is wisdom tooth surgery. There is no need to worry about that either. Here's how it works:

1. A preliminary examination

Before surgery, it is advisable to have an examination. The dentist will assess whether the tooth needs to be removed and ensure that there are adequate x-rays of the tooth. You will also be informed about what to expect after the surgery. Let us know if you are scared  and would like a sedative pre-medication.

2. Wisdom tooth surgery

• The dentist will carefully anaesthetise the area around the tooth.
• Once the anaesthetic has taken effect, the dentist will make a gum incision.
• The dentist uses a drill to remove the jawbone covering the tooth. Often, the wisdom tooth is split into several pieces so that it is easier to remove.
• Finally, the dentist stitches the gum wound closed.
• Depending on the degree of difficulty, wisdom tooth surgery takes 15–45 minutes.
• After the operation, your dentist will advise you on how to use painkillers and possibly antibiotics.

3. Follow-up

After the operation, it is usually a good idea to have a follow-up check-up and suture removal, even if the dentist has used fusible sutures. This is because stitches collect bacterial plaque and can irritate the wound. In addition, food particles can accumulate in the extraction cavity and need to be rinsed out.

You're in good hands at Hammas Mehiläinen: if you should have any problems after your surgery, such as bleeding or fever, you can call your dentist for help.

Almost everyone is at least a little nervous about wisdom tooth removal. We'll always take your anxiety and dental fears seriously.

• Pain. Wisdom tooth extraction shouldn't hurt – and it won't hurt. Both wisdom tooth extraction and surgery are painless procedures, as we always ensure careful anaesthesia.
• Remedies for anxiety. If you're scared you can, for example, receive a relaxing pre-medication. Procedures can also be performed under anaesthesia – especially if you are having several procedures at once.

After standard wisdom tooth extraction, you will probably feel pain for a day or two. Usually, a normal painkiller will help. If the pain starts again after 3-4 days, it is probably due to a dry extraction cavity from which the blood clot has disappeared. You should then contact your dentist.

Wisdom tooth surgery is often followed by 2–4 days of pain and swelling, and it is difficult to open the mouth. If normal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol are not enough, you can get help from more powerful painkillers. You will often need 2–3 days of sick leave, depending on your job.

The specialist interviewed for the article was our dental specialist and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Kimmo Vähätalo.

The cost of wisdom tooth extraction depends on the degree of difficulty of the operation. Removal without surgery is obviously cheaper than removal with surgery. Your treating dentist will give you an estimate, so there are no nasty surprises. Browse the price list of Hammas Mehiläinen.

Remember, that the flexible payment options of Hammas Mehiläinen will protect you. For example,you can split the costs into several instalments.