Impacted Teeth & Oral Surgery

An impacted tooth is one that has stayed within the jawbone or only partly erupted, most often a wisdom tooth. Not every impacted tooth needs removing — the decision follows its position, the damage it does to neighbours, and symptoms.

Book Contact

Chair time20–45 min

AnaesthesiaLocal, sedation optional

Swelling2–3 days

Back to work1–2 days

SuturesRemoved on day 7

Remove or monitor

Recurrent infection (pericoronitis), decay or root resorption in the adjacent molar, cyst formation and interference with an orthodontic plan are all reasons to remove. A wisdom tooth fully within bone, causing no symptoms and putting no pressure on its neighbour, can simply be monitored.

We take a CBCT in every case. In the lower jaw, knowing the distance between the roots and the inferior alveolar nerve is essential; roots that appear superimposed on the nerve in a panoramic film can turn out to be millimetres away in 3D, or the reverse. That information dictates how the procedure is done.

Other surgical procedures

Oral surgery is not only wisdom teeth. Cyst enucleation, abscess drainage, frenectomy (lip or tongue tie), apicoectomy, biopsy and replantation after trauma all fall under this heading.

A tongue tie can affect feeding in infants and speech later, and is resolved with a simple frenectomy. An upper labial frenum is a common cause of a midline diastema and may need releasing before orthodontics.

08 — Process

The process

01CBCT

Position and distance to the nerve are seen in 3D.

02Planning

Approach, incision and sedation are discussed.

03Procedure

20–45 minutes under local anaesthetic.

04Sutures & instructions

Cold compress, medication and diet instructions.

05Review

Sutures out on day seven and healing checked.

Related services

Impacted tooth surgery (third molar)
Surgical extraction
Cyst enucleation
Abscess drainage
Frenectomy
Coronectomy
Biopsy

A treatment plan and its costing are prepared individually after examination.

11 — FAQ

Common questions

Not necessarily. A fully impacted tooth that puts no pressure on its neighbour and forms no cyst can be monitored. Partially erupted teeth are different: because they cannot be cleaned, they cause recurrent infection and decay in the adjacent molar. The decision is made from the radiograph — absence of symptoms alone is not enough.

After impacted-tooth surgery, swelling peaks on the second day and recedes from the third. Intermittent cold compresses in the first 24 hours reduce it markedly. Limited mouth opening is also possible and returns to normal within a week.

It is a recognised risk with lower impacted teeth, but with CBCT planning the rate is very low. Where roots sit very close to the nerve, coronectomy — removing only the crown and leaving the roots in place — is considered as an alternative. We discuss the risk case by case before the procedure.

For the first 24 hours do not rinse, spit or use a straw — dislodging the clot can cause a dry socket, which is very painful. Smoking carries the same risk for the first three days. Warm, soft food and taking the prescribed medication regularly is all that is otherwise needed.

05 — Team