Oral surgery and wisdom teeth
Oral surgery includes removing wisdom teeth and other teeth that cannot be saved, whether by a simple extraction or by a surgical one. At Suman Dental Care it is carried out by Dr. Ohm Rajani, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with an MDS in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Step by step
Oral surgery and wisdom teeth
- Before
- Treatment
- After
One surgical visit of 30–60 minutes, a review at about 7 days, and most people back to normal activity in 3–5 days.
A wisdom tooth that cannot come in fully can trap food, cause repeated gum infections, or decay the tooth in front of it. Removing it ends the cycle and protects the second molar. A wisdom tooth with no symptoms and no disease can often be left and monitored.
- Repeated pain or swelling at the back of the jaw
- A tooth that is only partly through the gum
- Decay in the wisdom tooth or the one next to it
- A tooth too damaged to be repaired
- Not every wisdom tooth needs removing
Bite on gauze for 30–45 minutes to control bleeding. The numbness lasts 2–4 hours; do not eat until it wears off. Use cold packs on the cheek for the first 24 hours. Swelling peaks around day 2–3 and goes down by day 5–7. Mild bruising and some jaw stiffness are common.
Eat soft, cool food for the first 2 days. Do not rinse, spit, smoke or drink through a straw for 24 hours, because they can dislodge the clot. From day 2, rinse gently with warm salt water after meals.
See the full extraction aftercare card. See also what to do in a dental emergency.
- Dry socket: the clot is lost and the socket becomes painful around day 3–5. It affects a minority of wisdom tooth extractions and is treated with a dressing.
- Swelling and bruising are expected and peak at day 2–3.
- Numb lip, chin or tongue: wisdom roots can lie close to a nerve. Numbness is usually temporary, and a scan is used to plan around the nerve.
- Infection can follow any extraction. See a doctor urgently if swelling spreads with fever, or if you have trouble swallowing or breathing.
- Upper teeth: the root of an upper tooth can lie close to the sinus.
- Bleeding after surgery is common for a few hours and settles with firm pressure.
What affects the cost
We don't publish prices online. After an examination you get a written estimate that lists each item.
- Examination and X-ray
- Local anaesthetic
- The extraction, with stitches if needed
- Written aftercare instructions
- A review visit
Questions patients ask
Does every wisdom tooth have to come out?
No. A wisdom tooth that is healthy, fully through the gum, and easy to clean can stay. Removal is advised for repeated infection, decay, damage to the next tooth or a cyst.
Is wisdom tooth removal painful?
The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, so you feel pressure and movement but not pain. The soreness afterwards is controlled with your usual pain relief for a few days.
How long is the recovery?
Most people are back to normal activity in 3–5 days. Swelling peaks at day 2–3. Full healing of the gum takes a few weeks.
What is dry socket?
The blood clot in the socket is lost and the bone is exposed, causing a deep ache around day 3–5 that pain relief does not ease. Call us. A medicated dressing relieves it.
When is an extraction better than a root canal?
When a tooth cannot be restored, for example because it is badly cracked or has too little tooth left. Read root canal or extraction?
Can I replace an extracted tooth?
Yes, with an implant, a bridge or a denture. Your dentist will advise when the gum has healed.
After a tooth extraction
What to do after treatment, day by day.
Questions about this treatment?
Send a WhatsApp message or book an examination. The dentist explains the options before anything starts.