WSD Essentials (Scaling & Polishing, Fluoride Treatment, Full Mouth X-rays) at $98 nett. Learn more.
WeSmile Essentials (Scaling & Polishing, Fluoride Treatment, Full Mouth X-rays) at $98 nett. Learn more.
WSD Essentials (Scaling & Polishing, Fluoride Treatment, Full Mouth X-rays) at $98 nett. Learn more.
WeSmile Essentials (Scaling & Polishing, Fluoride Treatment, Full Mouth X-rays) at $98 nett. Learn more.
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Wisdom teeth that are stuck, angled or causing pain can be removed under local anaesthetic. Not sure if yours need to come out? Start with Wisdom Insight Essentials at $58 nett. Available at our Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Orchard clinics.
Wisdom teeth are the last molars at the back of your mouth, usually coming through in your late teens or early twenties. If a wisdom tooth has come through fully, it can be removed with a simple extraction. If it is stuck under the gum or bone (impacted), it needs minor surgery. Both are done under local anaesthetic. Most people recover from wisdom tooth surgery in about a week. At WeSmile Dental, simple extraction starts from $212.55 and surgical removal from $1,547.80 (incl. GST), and Medisave can be used for surgical removal. Not sure if yours need to come out? Start with Wisdom Insight Essentials, a $58 nett consult with full mouth X-rays.
Wisdom teeth are the third and last set of molars. Most people have four, one in each corner of the mouth, but some have fewer or none at all. They usually come through between the ages of 17 and 25.
Because they arrive last, there is often not enough space for them. They may come through at an angle, only partly, or stay stuck under the gum or bone. This is called an impacted wisdom tooth. Read more about whether everyone gets wisdom teeth.
Not always. A wisdom tooth that has come through straight, has enough space and can be cleaned properly may not need to come out. Your dentist may recommend removal if you have:
Wisdom tooth pain often comes and goes, so it is easy to put off. See what to do about wisdom tooth pain.
Wisdom teeth can be removed at any age. Removal is often simpler in your late teens and twenties, when the roots are not fully formed and the jawbone is less dense, and recovery tends to be quicker. If a wisdom tooth is likely to cause problems, your dentist may suggest removing it before it does, rather than waiting for pain.
Simple extraction | Surgical removal | |
|---|---|---|
When it is used | The tooth has fully come through the gum | The tooth is impacted: partly through, angled, or stuck under the gum or bone |
What is involved | The tooth is loosened and removed | A small cut in the gum, sometimes removing some bone or dividing the tooth into pieces, then stitches |
Anaesthetic | Local anaesthetic | Local anaesthetic |
Typical recovery | 1 to 3 days | About 3 to 7 days |
Medisave | Not claimable | Claimable |
Lower wisdom teeth are more often impacted than upper ones. An X-ray is the only way to know which type you need. Learn more about impacted teeth.
Wisdom Insight Essentials is a $58 nett wisdom tooth consult. It includes:
It is a good first step if your wisdom tooth area keeps getting inflamed, there is swelling behind your back molars, a wisdom tooth has started to come through, or the area feels sore.
The X-rays are CHAS deductible. The consult is not. Available at our Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Orchard clinics.
Most wisdom tooth extractions, including many surgical ones, are done by general dentists. You may be referred to an oral surgeon if the tooth is deeply buried, the roots are very close to the nerve, or you have medical conditions that make surgery more complex. Oral surgeon fees are usually higher. Public hospitals also offer wisdom tooth surgery at subsidised rates with a referral, but waiting times are usually longer than at a private clinic.
Wisdom tooth surgery usually takes up to an hour, depending on how many teeth are removed and how complex they are.
It depends on how bad the swelling is. If the gum around the tooth is infected, your dentist may first clean the area and prescribe medicine to settle the infection, then remove the tooth once the swelling goes down. Do not wait if the swelling is spreading, you have a fever, or it is hard to open your mouth or swallow. See a dentist the same day.
Most people can have all four removed in one visit, which means only one recovery period. If you are removing a lower wisdom tooth, your dentist will usually suggest removing the upper one on the same side too. If you prefer, you can do one side at a time over two visits.
The area is numbed first, so you should not feel pain during removal. You may feel pressure and hear some cracking sounds, which is normal. After the numbness wears off, soreness and swelling are common. They usually peak on day 2 or 3 and are managed with the medicine your dentist gives you.
Wisdom tooth removal is a common procedure, but like any surgery it has risks. Your dentist will explain the ones that apply to you after checking your X-rays.
When | What to expect |
|---|---|
First 24 hours | Some bleeding and numbness. Bite on gauze, use an ice pack on your cheek and eat soft, cool food. |
Days 2 to 3 | Swelling and soreness are at their worst. Start gentle warm salt water rinses after the first 24 hours. |
Days 4 to 7 | Swelling goes down. Most people are back to work or school. |
1 to 2 weeks | Review visit. Stitches are removed or dissolve. Most normal activities resume. |
Many people need about 1 to 2 days off for a simple extraction, and 3 to 5 days for surgery.
A blood clot forms in the socket after removal. It protects the bone and nerve while the area heals. If it comes out, you can get a painful condition called dry socket. To protect the clot:
Learn more about dry socket.
At WeSmile Dental, simple wisdom tooth extraction starts from $212.55 and surgical removal from $1,547.80 (incl. GST). Medisave can be used for surgical removal, and CHAS covers simple extractions and X-rays. See our wisdom tooth extraction price guide for the full breakdown.
Not always. If a wisdom tooth has come through straight and can be cleaned properly, it may be left alone. Impacted wisdom teeth can still cause decay or gum problems without pain, so an X-ray check is the safest way to decide.
You need an X-ray. If the tooth is stuck under the gum or bone, angled, or only partly through, it usually needs surgery. If it has fully come through, a simple extraction is usually enough.
Usually up to an hour, depending on how many teeth are removed and how complex they are. A simple extraction is quicker.
Many people need 1 to 2 days off for a simple extraction and 3 to 5 days for surgery. Your dentist can issue a medical certificate.
Soft, cool food for the first few days, such as porridge, yoghurt, soft tofu, eggs and soup that is not too hot. Avoid hard, crunchy, spicy or very hot food, and chew on the other side until the area heals.
Yes. Most people can have all four removed in one visit, which means one recovery period. You can also do one side at a time if you prefer.
Dry socket happens when the blood clot in the socket comes out too early, leaving the bone exposed. It causes pain that gets worse a few days after removal. Avoiding straws, smoking and forceful spitting in the first week helps prevent it.
Medisave can be used for surgical wisdom tooth removal, but not for simple extraction. How much you can claim depends on the type of surgery. You can also use an immediate family member’s Medisave.
Not sure what your wisdom teeth need? Book Wisdom Insight Essentials at Ang Mo Kio, Bedok or Orchard.