Wisdom Teeth Removal in Ashburton

Do yours need to come out?

Wisdom teeth usually arrive between 17 and 25, and the modern jaw often doesn’t have room for them. When they can’t erupt cleanly they become impacted — pressing against the tooth in front, trapping food and bacteria under a flap of gum, or sitting sideways in the bone.

That said, a wisdom tooth that has come through straight, bites properly and can be cleaned is worth keeping. We take an X-ray, look at the position and the risk, and give you a straight answer either way.

Signs worth getting checked

What removal involves

1. Assessment. X-rays show the root shape and position relative to the nerve. This determines difficulty and whether referral to a specialist is wiser.
2. Your quote. Written costs before anything is booked. Simple extractions start from $199; surgical removals cost more.
3. The procedure. Local anaesthetic numbs the area completely. Simple cases take minutes; surgical removal takes longer but you shouldn’t feel pain, only pressure.
4. Recovery. Swelling and discomfort peak around day two or three. Most people take two or three days easy and are back to normal within a week.
5. Aftercare. We give you written instructions and a contact number. If anything worries you afterwards, we’d rather you called.

Recovery, day by day

Day one: bite on the gauze for 30–45 minutes, take pain relief before the anaesthetic wears off rather than after, and rest. Slight oozing into the evening is normal; steady bleeding is not — call us. Days two and three are usually the peak for swelling and stiffness; ice on the outside of the cheek helps, and soft foods — soup, yoghurt, mashed vegetables, scrambled eggs — are the menu. From day four things settle quickly. Most people are back at work or study within two or three days after a simple extraction, a little longer after surgical removal.

Two things to avoid in the first 24 hours: rinsing vigorously and smoking. Both disturb the clot protecting the socket, and losing it causes dry socket — the one common complication, and a painful one. If pain worsens after day two instead of easing, that’s the sign; call us and we’ll dress the socket, which relieves it quickly.

Why we sometimes refer to a specialist

Lower wisdom teeth sit close to the nerve that supplies feeling to the lip and chin. When imaging shows the roots wrapped around or pressing on that nerve, the risk of numbness rises, and the safest course is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon — often with the option of a general anaesthetic. We refer these cases without hesitation. It’s a judgement about your outcome, and we’d rather lose a procedure than risk a nerve.

Wisdom teeth — common questions