Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?
Quick answer
Do I need to have my wisdom teeth removed?
Not always. Healthy wisdom teeth that have come through properly and can be cleaned are usually best left alone.
Removal is recommended when they cause repeated gum infections, decay, damage to the neighbouring tooth, cysts or ongoing pain. At York House Dental Practice in West Byfleet, a specialist oral surgeon assesses your wisdom teeth with X-rays first. Impacted wisdom tooth removal starts from £495.
What you need to know
Guidance in the UK is against removing wisdom teeth “just in case”. Every extraction carries some risk, including temporary numbness if the tooth sits close to a nerve, so the benefits must outweigh it.
An X-ray or 3D scan shows the angle of the tooth, how close it is to the nerve and whether it is damaging the tooth in front. This decides whether removal is needed and how complex it will be. A specialist assessment is £90.
Our oral surgeon, Dr Alisha Gadhia, carries out complex and impacted extractions in the practice. See wisdom tooth recovery and wisdom teeth removal.
Last reviewed: by Dr Kaveet Patel, Principal Dentist
