60+ Years Experience
Providing dental care in London for over 60 years
Finance Plans Available
Spread the cost of your treatment with interest-free payments
Central London Location
Located in the heart of London with excellent transport links
Long Term UCL Partnership
Full affiliation & long-term partnership with UCL
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the last molars on each side of the jaw. They are the last teeth to emerge, or erupt, usually when a person is between 16 and 24. Adults usually have 4 wisdom teeth, one in each corner of the jaw.
As wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come through there is often not enough room left in your mouth to accommodate them. This can lead to impacted wisdom teeth – teeth that are trapped beneath the gum tissue by other teeth or bone. If teeth are impacted, swelling and tenderness of the gum may occur and antibiotics may be prescribed to ease the inflammation.
This condition is called acute pericoronitis.
Wisdom teeth that only partially emerge or come through crooked may also lead to painful crowding and disease. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom tooth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, cellulitis or other problems.
Since teeth removed before the age of 20 have less developed roots and fewer complications, you should consult our dentist in London dentist to have your wisdom teeth evaluated to see if they need to be removed, especially is they have started to cause problems.
How are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
A tooth extraction is a relatively routine procedure. Our dental specialist Jill McLoughlin, called an oral surgeon, will recommend numbing this area in your mouth with local anaesthesia in most cases. Jill McLoughlin is an experienced oral surgeon who will assess your wisdom teeth and discuss the case with you prior to removal.
After the tooth is removed, you may be asked to bite down softly on a piece of gauze for a short period of time, to limit any bleeding that may occur. Some pain and swelling may occur but it will normally go away after a few days; however, you should call your dentist if you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding or fever.
Removal of wisdom teeth due to crowding or impaction should not affect your bite or oral health in the future.
Alex Brittain2024-06-07Great dentist.
William Smart2024-05-29Naturally, I was not looking forward to the extraction of a wisdom tooth in the highest of spirits but Doctor Jill made the occasion an underwhelming and pain-free event for which I am very grateful. I would not hesitate to recommend the Dental Centre having received a high quality of care and service over many years since I was a UCL undergraduate.
Xiaoyu Liu2024-04-10Gemma is one of the best hygienist I’ve met here! She is very patient, friendly, and very caring.
Joseph C2024-02-07Brilliant experience from start to finish. I'd been having tooth pain for a couple of weeks and managed to book an appointment the next day after finding them. Reception team was really friendly and welcoming, and Dr Hussein who I saw first of explained everything brilliantly and made sense of what was going on. I was given the choice of a root canal or having my tooth removed, and was advised on costs and pros/cons to both. I chose to have a tooth removal and was booked in with Dr Jill the following day. I'd never had a tooth removed and so was a little nervous but both Dr Jill and her assist put me at ease and I felt relaxed instantly. I was amazed at how quick and painless it all was, I honestly didn't feel a thing and was surprised how quick it took. Definitely recommend The Dental Centre and can't thank them enough for their professionalism and care.
Alessandro Alfa2024-02-02Awesome experience to be treated at the Dental Centre! The team is very professional and caring, from the receptionists to hygienist to the manager. The facilities are modern and neat and the operations are very well organised. I had my dental hygiene with Dovile, who gave me the best treatment I ever received: gentle, accurate, and thorough. Plus, she gave me good tips to improve my oral health I've been overlooking in the past couple of years. I'll definitey return to the Dental Centre, now my only reference dental practice!
Wisdom Teeth FAQ's
What age do you get wisdom teeth?
Although each individual is different, generally speaking wisdom teeth are the very last teeth to come in. The general age that this happens can vary from one person to the next, but typically it occurs between the ages of 17-25.
It’s because these teeth come after the rest that they can cause such issues.
How painful is a wisdom tooth?
Some individuals won’t experience any pain or discomfort when their wisdom teeth, however it isn’t uncommon for people to experience intense pain in the mouth and surrounding jaw.
Wisdom tooth pain can often present as a dull throbbing which may ease once the tooth has broken through the surface of the gum. You may take over the counter pain relief, but it might be best to consult with your dentist who can look at the options available to you. In most cases, if you’re opting for one wisdom tooth to be removed, the dentist will remove all 4 (if applicable) to avoid any future issues from occurring.
Does everyone have wisdom teeth?
Not everyone knows this, but no! Whilst you may get up to 4 wisdom teeth, it is totally normal to have fewer than 4, or even no wisdom teeth at all. Generally speaking, if you haven’t got 4 wisdom teeth by your mid to late twenties, you are unlikely to get any more.
Are there any benefits of keeping wisdom teeth?
Whilst removing wisdom teeth can be the best solution if you’re struggling with the pain or discomfort, in many cases it can be just as beneficial to leave them in situ.
If your wisdom teeth are growing without causing you any issue, keeping them means you won’t need to go through any invasive or painful oral surgery.
That’s because these things can cause staining on the surface of your teeth, leading to a reduction in how bright they are and so we generally advise patients to avoid these things for the best results.
