Wisdom Tooth Extraction
歯科ハミール高田88 Director
Masashi Motegi
Hello, I’m Masashi Motegi, the director.
A wisdom tooth, depending on how it has grown in, can cause cavities in the tooth next to it, or repeated swelling and pain, and become the source of trouble throughout the mouth. I’ve trained in oral surgery at a general hospital, and wisdom tooth extraction is one of the areas our clinic handles well.
That said, not every wisdom tooth needs to come out. We diagnose with the view that “a wisdom tooth that can be kept should be kept,” and when extraction is necessary, we carry it out only after taking the time to explain the risks and what to expect afterward.
If you’ve been told at another clinic that your case is difficult, please talk to us here in Takadanobaba first.
Dealing with Wisdom Tooth Pain or Swelling?
If you’ve been referred to a university hospital, can’t get an appointment for months, or are afraid of having the tooth pulled, a visit to 歯科ハミール高田88 can resolve your wisdom tooth concerns. Pain at the back of the mouth, swollen gums, or difficulty opening your mouth may be signs of pericoronitis, caused by a wisdom tooth (third molar). Because a wisdom tooth can cause various problems depending on how it has grown in, at our clinic a specialist experienced in oral surgery performs safe extractions with less strain on you, based on a precise diagnosis from dental CT imaging.
What Is a Wisdom Tooth? (Third Molar)
A wisdom tooth is the 8th permanent tooth counting from the front central incisor, and has the dental name the “third molar.” Its usual eruption period is the late teens to early twenties, after the rest of the permanent teeth have come in around age 15. Over the course of human evolution, modern jaws have tended to become smaller, and there is often not enough room left for a wisdom tooth to emerge in the correct position. As a result, it’s common to see a wisdom tooth stay buried in the jawbone and never emerge (an impacted tooth), or come in at an angle or sideways (a displaced tooth).
Early Extraction Is Safer (When Extraction Is Indicated)
Not every wisdom tooth needs extraction, but to prevent trouble before it starts, we recommend early extraction in cases such as the ones below. Once inflammation has set in, anesthesia becomes less effective, and the procedure carries greater risk and places a heavier burden on the patient.
- Pericoronitis (repeated pain and swelling) A wisdom tooth that has only partly erupted tends to trap plaque and food debris between the tooth and the gum, leading to a bacterial inflammation called pericoronitis. Left untreated, the inflammation can spread to the surrounding soft tissue and jawbone, sometimes causing facial swelling and trouble opening the mouth.
- Decay in the wisdom tooth or the tooth next to it Because it sits at the very back of the mouth, a wisdom tooth is hard to reach with a toothbrush, which raises the risk of decay in both the wisdom tooth itself and the important tooth in front of it (the second molar). We recommend extraction so your healthy teeth can be kept clean.
- Root resorption in the neighboring tooth and problems with tooth alignment When a wisdom tooth impacted sideways keeps pressing on the tooth in front of it, it can cause “root resorption,” in which the root of that tooth is dissolved, and can be a direct or indirect cause of crowded teeth.
- Formation of a dentigerous cyst Even when a wisdom tooth has no part exposed above the bone, an X-ray or CT scan can sometimes reveal a sac-like lesion (a cyst) around the tooth. As a cyst grows, it can erode the jawbone or press on a nerve, making removal of both the cyst and the tooth necessary.
5 Reasons Patients Choose Our Wisdom Tooth Clinic
REASON 01.
“University-Hospital-Level” Care for Difficult Cases, from a Surgical Specialist
Our clinic has an oral surgery specialist on staff, so we can handle even demanding cases: a tooth with complete impaction that requires cutting bone, or a wisdom tooth positioned close to the mandibular canal (which carries a major nerve and blood vessels). Even a case where another clinic said “we’ll have to refer you to a university hospital” can be completed here.
REASON 02.
Extraction With Intravenous Sedation, Mindful of Pain
For anyone with a strong fear that “extraction means pain and fear,” we offer intravenous sedation administered by a specialist anesthesiologist. Just let us know if you’d like it. Medication delivered through an IV drip brings you into a relaxed, drowsy state, easing anxiety about pain and fear and helping you remain calm during extraction. For local anesthesia, we also combine topical anesthetic with an electronic anesthesia device that lets us control the injection speed, for treatment that’s mindful of pain.
REASON 03.
Minimizing Swelling and Pain After Extraction With TERUPLUG and Similar Materials
Beyond the skill that lets us shorten the time an extraction takes, we also place a collagen sponge called “TERUPLUG” in the socket afterward to reduce downtime (swelling and pain). It protects the socket, helps control bleeding, and promotes healing of the bone and tissue, and we often hear from patients that “I was back at work the next day” or “it didn’t hurt much.”
REASON 04.
Precise Three-Dimensional Diagnosis With Dental CT
For safer, more reliable surgery, we use detailed imaging from dental CT. Before planning an extraction, we precisely map the shape and position of the wisdom tooth’s roots, together with their three-dimensional distance from nearby important structures: the mandibular canal (nerves and blood vessels) and the maxillary sinus (the cavity beside the nose).
REASON 05.
Same-Day Extraction at Your First Visit, and Multiple Extractions at Once
For patients in a hurry, or who want to minimize the number of visits, we can extract a wisdom tooth on your first visit in cases where this is possible (for example, when there is little inflammation). Depending on your wishes and your condition, extracting up to 4 teeth in one sitting is also possible. *Same-day extraction may be billed as self-pay treatment in some cases, and depending on our schedule or the degree of inflammation, we may ask you to come back on a different day.
Fee Guide
We’ll walk you through the details and give you an estimate during your initial consultation.
Fees When Covered by Insurance (Estimate)
- Simple extraction (a wisdom tooth with complete eruption): from ¥3,000
- Extraction of an impacted tooth (including bone removal or a difficult-extraction surcharge): approx. ¥7,000–¥8,000. *Add approx. ¥3,600 if a CT scan is taken.
Fees Not Covered by Insurance
- Difficult extraction: ¥30,000–¥50,000
- Intravenous sedation: ¥100,000 + tax
- TERUPLUG (protects the socket and promotes bone regeneration): ¥11,000 (tax included) *optional
How Wisdom Tooth Extraction Works
Initial Consultation and Detailed Examination
We ask about your current symptoms and, as needed, take an X-ray or dental CT scan to precisely assess the condition of the wisdom tooth and its relationship to the surrounding tissue.
Explaining the Treatment Plan and Obtaining Consent (Informed Consent)
We explain the difficulty of the extraction, the procedure, the cost, and the risks with transparency. If you’d like intravenous sedation, this is also the stage where we discuss it; once you’ve given your consent, we schedule your appointment in advance and begin preparations.
The Extraction (Same Day or a Later Appointment)
We carry out the extraction under local anesthesia or intravenous sedation. A tooth that has grown in straight is often finished within a few minutes, but an impacted tooth can take about 30 minutes to an hour. This can involve cutting the gum, removing surrounding bone, and sectioning the crown. We take the tooth out with care, then finish by suturing (stitching) the site.
Follow-Up Care and Monitoring
As a general guide, we ask you to come back the next day and about a week later so we can disinfect the site and check how it’s healing. Please let us know if you need additional pain medication. If we placed stitches, we remove them about a week later. We often also have patients use a post-extraction mouthwash.
Aftercare Instructions (Getting Through Recovery)
- On the day of extraction Please avoid strenuous exercise, long baths, alcohol, and saunas, as these increase blood flow and can cause renewed bleeding or pain. We recommend sticking to a shower instead.
- Protecting the blood clot and preventing dry socket A blood clot forms in the socket after extraction, acting like a scab. Rinsing with too much force, or disturbing it with your tongue or a finger, can expose the bone and lead to “dry socket,” which causes severe pain. Avoid vigorous rinsing on the day of extraction, and when brushing, be gentle and avoid the extraction site.
- About eating Please hold off on eating until the full effect of the local anesthetic has worn off, to avoid accidental bites to your cheek or tongue. After that, to avoid irritating the site, stick to soft, food that is easy to digest, and avoid anything spicy or very hot.
- Taking your medication Please finish the full course of any prescribed antibiotic exactly as directed, and take the pain reliever early rather than waiting until the pain becomes hard to bear.
Common Questions
Does it hurt during the extraction?
We make sure the anesthesia has taken effect before starting, so you generally won’t feel pain during the procedure. For anyone with a strong fear of dental treatment, intravenous sedation can also let you have the extraction in a relaxed, drowsy state. *Advance booking required.
Will it swell up a lot afterward?
This varies from person to person depending on how the wisdom tooth was positioned and how difficult the extraction was, but we use anti-inflammatory materials such as TERUPLUG (a collagen preparation) to help reduce post-extraction swelling and pain. Even if some swelling does appear, it tends to subside over about a week.
Can I have the tooth extracted on my first visit?
We can offer same-day extraction at your first visit in cases where this is possible, for example, when there is little inflammation and we can secure an appointment slot (*this may be billed as self-pay treatment if it cannot be claimed under insurance). However, if there is significant acute inflammation, we will first treat the inflammation and may ask you to come back on a different day for the extraction.
Should all 4 wisdom teeth be removed?
Not every wisdom tooth needs to be extracted. In some cases a wisdom tooth that has grown in straight and has normal function can be kept, or used as an anchor for a bridge if the tooth in front of it is lost, or as a donor for a future tooth transplant. We make a precise diagnosis using CT and other imaging and recommend the right course of action for you. *Transplantation is rare, since it’s suitable only in limited cases.
Considering Wisdom Tooth Extraction in Takadanobaba?
At 歯科ハミール高田88, dentists experienced in surgical procedures provide wisdom tooth treatment that takes away your worries so you can feel at ease. If you’re unsure what to do because you “don’t have time to go to a university hospital” or “don’t know where to turn,” please come talk to us first. We’re a 1-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station’s Waseda Exit, and open on weekends too. We’ll recommend the treatment that’s best suited to you.
