Wisdom teeth removal in London, Ontario starts with a careful look at where each tooth is. Wisdom teeth are the last molars to come in, and there is often no room left for them. When they push on the tooth in front or get trapped under the gum, they can cause pain, swelling and infection.
At Luka Dental Care on Aldersbrook Road, our two general dentists plan each removal with digital X-rays and a 3D scan. We take the tooth out in the way that disturbs the least bone and gum.
Wisdom teeth are part of our wider surgical care, so if another tooth needs to come out too, we handle it through tooth extractions. When a missing tooth will get an implant later, bone grafting can rebuild the jawbone first. All of this is part of our oral surgery services.
A full look at all four teeth with digital X-rays and a cone beam CT scan, so you know what you are dealing with before deciding anything.
For a wisdom tooth that has already come through the gum. Usually quick, done under local anesthetic, and healed within a few days.
Surgical removal for teeth stuck under the gum or angled into the molar in front. Planned in 3D to keep clear of the nerve.
Remove all four at once and go through a single recovery instead of two. We can also do one side at a time if you prefer.
When a wisdom tooth flares up with swelling or pain, call us. We make every effort to see emergency patients the same day, and we find out what is causing it.
Many patients ask us, does OHIP cover wisdom teeth removal? In a dentist's office the answer is no, and our post explains when OHIP pays for surgery in a hospital. Our guide to wisdom teeth removal cost in Ontario explains what changes the price.
A wisdom tooth can cause trouble long before it hurts. One that presses on the molar in front can wear a hole in that healthy tooth. Taking the wisdom tooth out early is often the smaller job.
Stops a wisdom tooth from damaging the healthy molar in front of it
Clears the gum pocket where food and bacteria collect behind the last tooth
Ends the swelling, jaw ache, and headaches caused by a partly erupted tooth
Removes the source of repeat infections rather than treating them again and again
Protects orthodontic work from being pushed out of line
Takes less surgery and heals faster when done before the roots finish forming
Here is what a wisdom teeth visit at Luka Dental Care looks like, from the first scan to the first few days at home.
First, we take digital X-rays and a 3D scan. They show the angle of each tooth and how close its roots are to the nerve.
Next, we numb the area with local freezing and wait until it is fully numb. You should feel pressure, but not pain.
A tooth that has come through the gum lifts out quickly. For a tooth stuck under the gum, we open a small flap and take it out in pieces.
We rinse the socket and place stitches if you need them. Many of our stitches dissolve on their own.
Before you go home, we explain eating, rinsing and what to watch for. You get the steps in writing, too.
For the first few days, rest and eat soft, cool foods. Swelling is often worst around day two, then it starts to go down. Call us if the pain gets worse after day three.
Our two general dentists remove wisdom teeth in our office. The dentist who reviews your scan is the one who does the removal.
If your scan shows a complex case, we talk you through every option before anything is booked.
Lower wisdom teeth sit close to the nerve that supplies your lip and chin, and a flat X-ray cannot show you how close. Our cone beam CT scanner builds a 3D picture of each root and its exact distance from that nerve, so the path out is planned before we start rather than discovered along the way. Digital X-rays give sharper images at lower radiation, intraoral cameras let you see what we see, and electric handpieces keep the procedure quiet and quick. Better planning up front is what makes the surgery shorter and the recovery easier.
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Most people have theirs checked in their late teens and early twenties. Roots are still short at that age and the bone is softer, so removal and healing are usually easier. There is no cut-off, though. Adults have wisdom teeth removed at every age when they cause trouble.
The area is fully numb during surgery, so you should feel pressure but not pain. Afterwards, most people manage with over-the-counter pain medication and a cold compress. Swelling usually peaks around day two and then settles.
Most people feel much better within a few days and go back to work or school quickly. A tooth that was deeply impacted takes a bit longer to settle than one that had already come through the gum. Rest on the first day, keep your head raised, and stick to soft, cool foods at the start.
OHIP does not pay for dental care done in a dentist's office, and that includes ours. It pays for some dental surgery in a hospital, when the case is complex or a health problem needs watching. Tooth removal counts only when it is medically needed, and OHIP must approve it first.
We are a registered Canadian Dental Care Plan provider. The plan covers tooth removal among other services, and how much it pays depends on your family income. Before we start, we tell you what your plan or insurance covers and what it does not.
No. Taking all four out in one visit means one recovery instead of two, which is why most people choose it. If you would rather do one side at a time so you can keep chewing on the other, we can plan it that way.
Some stay quiet for years, and we watch those on X-ray. Others slowly damage the molar in front of them or trap bacteria under the gum. Regular checkups tell us which one you have, so you can decide before it becomes an emergency.
