Wisdom Teeth Removal in Hocking | Hocking Dental Care

Wisdom teeth arrive last and often into a jaw that has no room left for them. When they come in at an angle, or only partly, they can damage the tooth in front and leave a flap of gum that traps food and infects repeatedly.

Not every wisdom tooth needs removing. Plenty come through cleanly and stay put for life. The ones that cause trouble usually announce it, and an X-ray shows which way yours are heading well before that.

Why wisdom teeth cause the trouble they do

They are the last teeth to arrive, typically between seventeen and twenty-five, into a jaw that finished growing some years earlier. Where there is room, they come through, meet the tooth above, and behave like any other molar. Where there is not, they push against the tooth in front, come through at an angle, or stop halfway and stay there.

The eruption of wisdom teeth can be painful and uncomfortable, and removal is often what relieves it and prevents further damage. We carry out extractions here rather than referring them elsewhere, whether the reason is non-restorable decay, a wisdom tooth angled into the tooth beside it, or extractions needed ahead of orthodontic treatment.

Impacted: Blocked from coming through fully, by bone or by the tooth in front. It can be angled forwards, backwards, sideways or lie flat, and which of those it is changes how straightforward removal will be.
Partially erupted: Through the gum but not fully. The worst of both worlds: impossible to clean and covered by a flap of gum that traps food.
Pericoronitis: Infection of that gum flap. Swollen, sore, sometimes making it hard to open the mouth. It settles with treatment and it recurs, which is often the deciding argument for removal.
Distal caries: Decay on the back surface of the second molar, caused by the wisdom tooth pressing against it and making that surface impossible to clean. The tooth that gets damaged is the healthy one in front.

At a glance

Usual age: Late teens to mid-twenties, when they arrive
Assessment: Examination plus an OPG — a panoramic view of the whole jaw
Where: Most are done here rather than referred on
Anaesthetic: Local. Deeply impacted cases may be referred for a general
Worst of the swelling: The first 48 hours, then improving
Time off: Often a day or two. Book before a quiet few days if you can

When extraction is needed

Aside from tooth decay, there are several reasons why wisdom tooth extraction may be necessary.

Infections such as acute or chronic abscesses may require wisdom teeth surgery. This is one of the most common reasons why people require tooth extractions.
Severe gum disease can affect supporting tissues and bone structures, necessitating tooth extraction procedures.
Preparatory work for orthodontic treatments such as braces may require wisdom tooth removal.
Removal of wisdom teeth might be required if they prohibit dentures from fitting or negatively affect their appearance.
Repeated pericoronitis — the gum around a partly erupted tooth swelling up again and again.
Decay on the back of the second molar that cannot be cleaned or restored while the wisdom tooth is there.

Equally, wisdom teeth that come through fully, sit in a normal position and can be cleaned properly are left alone. Removing healthy teeth that are causing no problem is not something we do as a matter of routine, and an X-ray taken at your check-up shows which category yours are in long before anything hurts.

How the assessment works

The decision comes from an examination and an image, not from a rule about age.

We take an OPG — a single panoramic view of the whole jaw — which shows the position and angle of each wisdom tooth, how much room there is, how the roots are shaped, and how close they run to the nerve in the lower jaw. That last point matters: the inferior alveolar nerve, which supplies feeling to the lower lip and chin, runs close to the roots of lower wisdom teeth, and how close it is decides both how the extraction is done and where it is done.

Most extractions happen here, under local anaesthetic, in one appointment. Where a tooth is deeply impacted, lies against the nerve, or would be better managed under a general anaesthetic, we will say so and refer you rather than attempt it — that is a judgement made from the image, and you will be told before anything is booked.

Timing is worth a word. Removal is generally more straightforward in the late teens and early twenties, when the roots are not fully formed and the bone is less dense, and recovery is usually quicker. That is not a reason to take out teeth that are causing no trouble; it is a reason to have them assessed rather than ignored.

Afterwards: the first week

Most of what goes wrong after an extraction is preventable, and nearly all of it happens in the first 24 hours.

First 24 hours

Bite firmly on the gauze for at least half an hour. If bleeding restarts, a fresh gauze or a clean handkerchief, firm pressure, twenty minutes.
Cold pack on the outside of the face, twenty minutes on and twenty off.
Rest, with your head propped up. Avoid exercise, heavy lifting and hot showers.
Soft, cool food. Nothing hot to eat or drink.
Take pain relief before the anaesthetic wears off rather than after.
No rinsing, no spitting, no straws, no smoking. All of them disturb the clot.

Days two to seven

Warm salt-water rinses after meals, gently — a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.
Brush your other teeth normally from the first night. Keep the brush away from the socket itself.
Swelling peaks around day two and then improves. Bruising on the cheek or jaw is common and harmless.
Go back to normal food as it becomes comfortable, chewing on the other side.
Stitches, if you have them, are usually dissolving. We will tell you which kind you have.
Pain that increases from around day three, with a bad taste, needs a phone call. That is usually a dry socket, and it is quickly treated.

Common questions

Wisdom Teeth & Extractions: your questions answered

Do all wisdom teeth need removing?: No. Wisdom teeth that come through fully, sit in a normal position and can be cleaned properly are left alone. The decision is made from an examination and an X-ray, not from a rule about age. Roughly speaking, if it is upright, in the bite, and you can get a brush behind it, there is no reason to take it out.
Can you take all four out at once?: Often, and for straightforward upper and lower teeth on one side it is common to do a side at a time so you always have a comfortable side to chew on. Whether all four in one appointment is sensible depends on how difficult they are, and we will give you a recommendation rather than leave it entirely to you. It is one recovery instead of two, which some people prefer.
Will I be awake?: For most extractions here, yes — local anaesthetic only, and you will feel pressure and movement but not pain. If you are anxious, say so when you book, because it changes how we plan the appointment. Deeply impacted teeth, or cases where a general anaesthetic is the better option, are referred, and we will tell you which category yours falls into at the assessment.
How much time off should I plan for?: For simple upper wisdom teeth, often none beyond the day. For impacted lower ones, plan on a day or two, and book before a quiet stretch rather than before a wedding or an exam. Swelling peaks around 48 hours, which is usually the surprise for people who felt fine the first evening.
What is a dry socket?: When the blood clot that should fill the socket is lost or breaks down, leaving the bone exposed. It usually announces itself around day three as pain that is increasing rather than settling, often with a bad taste. It is not dangerous and it is quickly relieved with a dressing, but it does need us to see you. Not smoking, not rinsing vigorously and not using straws in the first 24 hours are what prevent it.
Is there a risk of nerve damage?: For lower wisdom teeth there is a small risk, because the nerve supplying feeling to the lower lip and chin runs close to their roots. That is exactly what the OPG is for — it shows how close, before anything is decided, and it is why some teeth are referred rather than removed here. Where there is a meaningful risk we will tell you plainly at the assessment, and it forms part of what you consent to.
Will my other teeth become crowded if I keep them?: The idea that wisdom teeth push the front teeth together is much less well supported than it is widely believed. Lower front teeth tend to crowd with age whether or not wisdom teeth are present. Removing wisdom teeth purely to prevent crowding is not a good reason on its own — removing them because they are impacted, infected or damaging the tooth in front is.
What does it cost, and does the fund cover it?: It depends on how difficult the extraction is, which is what the assessment establishes, so you get a quote with item numbers before it is booked rather than after. Extractions generally sit under general dental rather than major dental for most funds, which usually means a shorter waiting period. Ask us for the numbers and your fund can confirm the rebate.

All frequently asked questions

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Wisdom Teeth and General Extractions

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Why wisdom teeth cause the trouble they do

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When extraction is needed

How the assessment works

Afterwards: the first week

Wisdom Teeth & Extractions: your questions answered

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