Wisdom teeth removal: understanding the options

If you experience issues with your wisdom teeth, your dentist may recommend having them removed.

For some, this can be a procedure by a dentist or dental surgeon with local anaesthetic. However, more complex cases may need dental surgery with a general anaesthetic.

Find out about the different ways wisdom teeth can be extracted, how much the procedures may cost, and what health insurance could pay towards.

Surgical vs non-surgical wisdom tooth removal 

Non-surgical extractions 

Non-surgical extractions are usually recommended when a wisdom tooth is fully through and can be removed by a dentist without cutting through the gum tissue, says Associate Professor Kai Lee. 

Surgical extractions

Impacted wisdom teeth are teeth that have not come through due to a lack of space, explains A/Prof Lee, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

“A wisdom tooth that has not fully come through may need surgical removal. An oral surgeon will need to make an incision, and remove some overlying tissue in order to remove the tooth. Furthermore, the impacted tooth may be divided into smaller parts for removal.”

Different types of impaction require different surgery, explains A/Prof Lee:
 

• Under soft tissue: The tooth is under the gum, but not the jaw. “They can be removed by making a little incision to expose the teeth properly.”
• Partially impacted: The tooth is partially impacted under the gum and jaw. “In these cases, we need to make an incision in the gum and potentially remove some of that impinging jaw bone away to get to the tooth.”
• Fully impacted: These are completely stuck in the jaw and under the gum. “These are more difficult to get to because to get through the soft tissue, you need to get through quite a thick layer of jawbone to remove them.”
  

Local anaesthetic vs general anaesthetic

Dental surgery can be done in-the-chair with a local anaesthetic, or in hospital under general anaesthetic.

“There are a number of things to consider, including how anxious the person is feeling,” says A/Prof Lee. “I always offer the option to do the extraction with a local anaesthetic in-the-chair if clinically appropriate, or under general anaesthetic in the hospital.”

According to Lee, simpler extractions are more suitable under a local anaesthetic, for example, “just one tooth that is not too deeply impacted, not close to the nerve underneath or a difficult angle.”

For more complex situations, the recommendation may be to have surgery under a general anaesthetic in hospital.

“Having wisdom teeth removed is not a pleasant procedure. The procedure can be challenging due to the tooth being a long way back in the jaw. It's a difficult area to work with.”

“There are also vital structures around the impacted tooth including nerve and blood vessels which the clinician needs to be careful with.”

Does Medicare cover wisdom tooth extractions? 

Like other dental procedures, Medicare – Australia’s publicly funded healthcare scheme – does not usually cover wisdom teeth removal. 

Children and concession-card holders may be able to access free or reduced-cost dental under state-based public dental services.

Does private health insurance pay towards wisdom teeth removal? 

Private health insurance may pay towards the cost of wisdom teeth removal, depending on the type of procedure required and the cover you have. 

Extras cover

Most extras cover can pay towards non-surgical extractions at your regular dentist’s as part of general dental cover. 

It can also pay towards the cost of the dental surgeon for surgical wisdom teeth extractions, whether they are performed under a local (in-the-chair) or general anaesthetic (in hospital). However, extras cover won’t pay towards the costs of your hospital accommodation or anaesthetists fees. 

Annual limits apply, and keep in mind there is a 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions and surgical dental procedures. 

Hospital cover 

Hospital cover can pay towards hospital costs for wisdom teeth removal, including accommodation and anaesthetist’s fees. It will not pay towards the cost of the oral surgeon, which is generally included under extras cover.

Keep in mind there is a 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions.

How much does wisdom tooth removal cost? 

The cost of wisdom tooth removal depends on many factors, including:
 

• whether you have a local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic 
• the complexity of your procedure and how many teeth you need out
• your dentist’s or surgeon’s fees 
• what type of health insurance you have. 

Costs of wisdom tooth removal in hospital  

Extractions in hospital will incur multiple costs, including hospital accommodation, anaesthetist fees, and surgeon’s fees. 

If you have hospital cover that includes tooth extractions, and you have served your waiting periods, you may be able to claim part of the cost. According to Medibank data, the median out-of-pocket cost for a surgical tooth extraction is around $325.^*

Visit the Going to Hospital hub for a detailed breakdown of hospital costs and how you can reduce your out-of-pocket costs. 

Medibank members can also login to My Medibank to use our extras out-of-pocket estimator or complete a hospital eligibility check. 

How long does recovery take

A number of factors can influence the recovery time for wisdom tooth extractions, including your age and the complexity of your procedure.

“For those who are having four wisdom teeth out in hospital, I would usually advise having a week off work,” says Dr Lee.

“Recovery is typically 5-7 days, and there may be quite noticeable facial swelling for up to 5 days, and bruising for a couple of days following that.”

“During that time, they will usually be advised to rest, ice the affected area, take regular pain medication, and only eat soft foods.”

“In mild to moderate procedures that are done in-the-chair, I might recommend 2-3 days off work.”

Wisdom tooth extraction procedure options summary