General Dentistry

Wisdom Tooth Removal London

Gentle, expert wisdom tooth removal — clear advice, effective anaesthesia, and careful aftercare.

Microscope-assisted
Effective anaesthesia
Careful aftercare
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Why remove them

The Benefits of Wisdom Tooth Removal

Avoid crowding of your teeth
Stop recurring infections
Stop bad breath caused by plaque on wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth are hard to clean and attract decay more easily
Prevent misaligned wisdom teeth damaging healthy neighbours
Make your whole mouth easier to keep clean
When it's necessary

When Removal Is Recommended

The jaw isn't wide enough for the teeth to erupt usefully for chewing
Partially erupted teeth let bacteria in, causing infection, cavities, and gum disease
Misalignment risks damaging the second molars
To reduce the risk of cyst formation around an impacted tooth
Late adolescence is often the best time — roots may not be fully formed, making treatment simpler

Pericoronitis & the operculum

Sometimes a wisdom tooth doesn't fully erupt, leaving a flap of gum (an operculum) that can become irritated and infected — a condition called pericoronitis, with redness, intense pain, a bad smell, and difficulty opening the mouth. If the flap persists, extraction is recommended; in some cases an operculectomy (removing the gum flap) can resolve it without extracting the tooth.

Aftercare

Recovery & Aftercare

The first 24 hours

Some bleeding may seep for up to 48 hours — control it with cotton gauze (or a wet tea bag, whose tannic acid aids clotting) and gentle pressure. Avoid spitting or rinsing to protect the clot.
Expect mild pain for a few days — take the pain relief your dentist recommends.
For complicated extractions, some facial swelling is normal — apply an ice pack for ten minutes every half hour.
Eat soft, lukewarm foods; avoid hot and alcoholic drinks.
Keep brushing, but gently avoid the extraction site.

After 24 hours

Switch from ice to gentle heat (a hot, damp towel). Swelling peaks around day four, then eases.
A review is usually booked a week later to check healing and remove stitches (absorbable stitches may fall out on their own).
Avoid smoking for 48 hours after extraction to prevent complications.
Full recovery takes about three months, but gums usually heal enough to use the area comfortably within one to two weeks.
Good to know

Possible Complications

Dry Socket

If the protective clot is dislodged or slow to form, a dry socket can develop — intense pain, a bad taste, and sometimes difficulty opening the mouth (worsened by smoking). It's temporary and easily relieved with a medicated dressing.

Nerve Sensitivity

Very rarely, a nerve is touched during extraction, causing temporary loss of sensitivity in the tongue or lower teeth. This is uncommon and generally resolves, though very exceptionally it can be lasting.

Why "wisdom" teeth?

They're thought to be called wisdom teeth because they appear much later than the rest — at an age when we're supposedly a little wiser than in childhood, when all our other teeth come through.

Keep your smile healthy

Routine care today prevents complex treatment tomorrow. Book your appointment with the Behrens team.

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