Wisdom teeth removal

When there is not enough space, a wisdom tooth can stay under the gums or bone, which is called an impacted tooth. It can also come in only partway, or grow in at an angle toward the next tooth.

Impacted or poorly positioned third molars can cause pain, infection, damage to nearby teeth, or problems later. You do not have to wait for symptoms to get them checked.

An earlier evaluation — often in the mid to late teens — can make removal simpler than waiting until later. Dr. Chad M. Curtis, DDS looks at each tooth and tells you whether removal makes sense now, later, or not at all.

Why teens often recover more easily

• Roots are not fully formed yet
• The jawbone is usually less dense
• Healing potential is higher at a younger age.

You may need wisdom teeth removed for one or more of these reasons:

• The tooth is impacted under the gum or bone
• The gum around a partly erupted tooth gets irritated or infected
• The area is hard to clean and more likely to get cavities
• Food traps behind the last molar
• The tooth presses on nearby teeth or interferes with orthodontic work
• You want to lower the chance of a painful flare-up later

Fully erupted wisdom teeth that you can keep clean may not need to come out. That is a decision we make after an exam and imaging — not a default for every patient.

The first visit is a consultation. Dr. Curtis will perform a full examination, medical history review, imaging review, and will come up with the treatment plan that best fits the individual patient. If you have any recent imaging, please bring it to this appointment or send it to us ahead of time.

On surgery day, the teeth are numbed. IV sedation is available if you want to be asleep. After adequate anesthesia, the teeth are removed.

Planning around school or work? See recovering from wisdom teeth and what to expect from removal.

After wisdom teeth removal, most patients can expect to be numb for most of the day of the surgery and will experience mild to moderate swelling on days two, three, and four. Swelling typically lasts for up to one week. Medications prescribed for after the procedure can mitigate swelling and improve the post-operative recovery time.

Day by day

• Day of surgery: bite on gauze until bleeding slows. Rest. Do not use a straw, smoke, or rinse. Ice the cheeks about fifteen minutes at a time.
• Days 1–2: discomfort is often at its worst as the numbness wears off. Swelling is building. Soft food, and the prescribed rinse starting the day after surgery.
• Days 3–4: swelling is usually at its peak, then should start to ease. Bruising can show up.
• Days 4–7: a dry socket, if it happens, usually announces itself in this window as a deep ache. Stitches often loosen around a week.

The next weeks

Many people are back to school or desk work within a few days. Plan longer if all four teeth were impacted. Jaw stiffness can linger into the second week. Usual workouts can start after day three if you feel steady. The sockets keep closing for several weeks.

Call us if

• Bleeding does not slow with firm gauze or a moistened tea bag
• The lip, chin, or tongue is still numb the morning after surgery
• Pain becomes a deep ache four to seven days later, which can be a dry socket
• Swelling or fever is worse after day three
• You cannot keep medicines or fluids down

Read wisdom teeth aftercare. Download post-operative instructions (PDF).

Removing four impacted wisdom teeth is a different procedure from removing one erupted tooth. Sedation, how deep the teeth sit, and whether a scan is needed are what change the estimate.

What changes the fee is the work itself: whether grafting is needed, which anesthesia is used, the type of restoration your dentist will make, and whether new imaging is required. Dr. Curtis gives an estimate at the consultation, after the exam. This website does not list prices.

The office takes most PPO dental plans. The current in-network list is on patient info. Call (561) 833-6880 if you want to ask about a plan before you come in.