Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, tend to be a problematic issue for many patients. By the time they erupt (usually between the ages of 17 and 25), third molars have little or no room to develop properly and can be forced to grow in at an angle and push against the second set of molars, causing intense discomfort, damage to other teeth, and tooth misalignment. Also, they can often become impacted, meaning that they fail to erupt, or only partially erupt, and must therefore be surgically extracted.

There are several ways in which a wisdom tooth can become impacted, and your surgeon will determine your specific needs based on detailed digital images of your teeth and jawbone. If the tooth is partially or fully covered by periodontal tissue, then extracting it will require folding the tissue back to expose the tooth. If it is partially or fully impacted within the jawbone, then the bone will also have to be slightly shaved to reveal the tooth structure.

Extracting impacted wisdom teeth prevents the molars from placing pressure against your other teeth, which can force them out of alignment and potentially cause trauma. Unlike other types of extracted teeth, wisdom teeth do not need to be replaced after they’ve been removed.

What is the cost of a wisdom tooth extraction?

The average cost of a wisdom tooth extraction could be as high as $500 to $1000 or even higher depending on the dentist, and it is typically covered at 50% plus the deductible by dental insurance. But with a general dentist in Doctors Network, the cost is only $120 - $200.