Wisdom Teeth Removal: What Adults Should Expect

Medically Reviewed by Robert Brennan, DDS on July 22, 2024
10 min read

Your dentist says it’s time to remove your wisdom teeth. They may refer you to an oral surgeon, who will do the procedure in their office. It should only take a few days for you to heal and get back to normal.

Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars located at the top and bottom back corners of your mouth. They are the last four of your permanent adult teeth. About half of all people have at least one wisdom tooth, but some don't develop any. Either case is normal.

When do wisdom teeth come in?

All of your permanent teeth come in by the time you’re 13 years old, except for wisdom teeth. These teeth appear between the ages of 17 and 25.

First signs of wisdom teeth coming in

Common signs and symptoms of wisdom teeth surfacing are:

  • Jaw and facial pain or tenderness
  • Gum redness or swelling at the back corners of your mouth
  • White spots behind your last molars

Wisdom teeth may cause complications that get worse over time such as pain, infection, and damage to neighboring teeth. Your dentist may recommend wisdom teeth removal to avoid these complications. The most common reasons for wisdom teeth removal are trapped (impacted), crowded, or decayed wisdom teeth.

Impacted wisdom teeth 

Because they're so far back in your mouth, wisdom teeth may not come in normally. They can be trapped in your jawbone or gums, which can be painful.

Wisdom teeth crowding

Sometimes, your mouth isn’t big enough for more teeth to grow in. Your jaw has no room for an extra set of molars. Because of this, wisdom teeth may come in at the wrong angle and press against your other teeth. This can damage neighboring teeth and cause them to shift out of place.

Cavities and gum disease

You may not be able to reach your wisdom teeth with your toothbrush or dental floss so food might get trapped around them. Trapped food that builds up over time leads to plaque, which causes gum disease and tooth decay, also known as cavities. Because of the location, your dentist may not be able to treat a cavity in your wisdom tooth. So, removing the tooth is the best option to prevent further tooth and gum damage, which can lead to serious mouth and gum infections.

Do wisdom teeth have to be removed?

No. If your wisdom teeth aren’t causing any issues such as pain, swelling, or plaque buildup, they can be left alone.

Do wisdom teeth grow back?

No. Like all of your permanent teeth, you only have one set of wisdom teeth. If removed, they don’t grow back.

If you need your wisdom teeth removed, your dentist will usually refer you to an oral surgeon who will do the procedure. At your first appointment, you’ll talk about the process. Make sure you:

  • Talk about any health problems you have.
  • List any drugs you take regularly.
  • Ask any questions you have about the surgery.
  • Discuss what type of anesthesia you’ll have. You can either be awake or asleep during your surgery.
  • Plan time off from work or school to have your surgery and rest afterward at home. Set up child care, pet care, or a ride home if needed.

Wisdom teeth removal price

The cost of wisdom teeth removal depends on a few different factors:

  • Dental insurance coverage
  • The number of teeth to be pulled and whether they are impacted or not
  • Type of anesthesia (local, conscious sedation, or general)

The average cost for the removal of four impacted wisdom teeth is $3,120. This is considered a surgical procedure and the cost includes up to 1 hour of general anesthesia. It costs about $550 to have a single impacted tooth removed.

If all of your wisdom teeth are fully erupted or surfaced, the average cost to remove them is $720. Simple removal of a single fully surfaced wisdom tooth costs $120-$180. Sedation or general anesthesia may come at an extra fee depending on the dentist or oral surgeon’s pricing plan for nonsurgical tooth removal.

If you have dental insurance, your plan may cover all or part of the cost. Check with your insurance carrier to learn about what your plan covers and how much you’ll pay out-of-pocket.

Your surgery should take 45 minutes or less.

You’ll get one of these types of anesthesia so you don’t feel pain during the removal:

  • Local: Your doctor will numb your mouth with a shot of a local anesthetic such as novocaine, lidocaine, or mepivacaine. You may also breathe nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to relax or even doze during surgery. You should feel alert again shortly afterward. 
  • IV sedation: The surgeon will numb your mouth and give you drugs through a vein in your arm to make you drowsy. You might sleep during the whole procedure.
  • General: You’ll either get drugs through a vein or breathe gas in through a mask. You’ll be deeply asleep the whole time and might not wake up for an hour or so after the surgery.

Do they break your jaw to remove wisdom teeth?

No. Your dentist or oral surgeon will take the following steps to safely remove your wisdom teeth without breaking your jaw: 

  • Cut into your gums and remove any bone that may be blocking the whole tooth.
  • Gently loosen and lift the tooth from its socket.
  • Divide the tooth into sections for easier removal if necessary.
  • Clean the area to prevent infection.
  • Close the opening with stitches, which typically dissolve in a few days.
  • Place gauze on the wound to control bleeding and help a blood clot to form.

Wisdom teeth removal recovery timeline

Everyone responds differently to anesthesia, and recovery experiences vary. Recovery time right after surgery depends on the type of anesthesia you had during your procedure. If you only had a local anesthetic, you’ll recover briefly in the dental chair and you’ll be able to drive yourself home if you're up to it. You might even be able to go back to work or do your normal activities. If you had IV sedation or general anesthesia, you’ll need someone to drive you home once the medication wears off, which can take up to 2 hours.

You'll likely have swelling and mild discomfort for 3 or so days. Your mouth may need a week or two to heal completely.

Follow your doctor’s instructions for a quicker recovery.

Wisdom teeth removal pain

Mild to moderate pain is normal for 3-4 days after your wisdom teeth are removed. An ice pack or a bag of frozen peas held to your cheek may ease your pain and swelling. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with pain and discomfort. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger pain medication if a bone is removed during your procedure. If you have severe pain that doesn’t get better with pain medication, let your dentist or oral surgeon know right away. This could be a sign of complications such as infection or dry socket, a painful condition that happens when you lose the blood clot at the extraction site. 

How long after wisdom teeth removal can you eat?

You should leave the gauze in place for 30 minutes to an hour after your surgery to help blood clots form. After this time, you can eat and drink.

Best foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal

It’s best to stick with soft foods for the first 3-5 days. Avoid hard, chewy, hot, or spicy foods that can get stuck in your wound, damage your healing gums, and cause pain. Some ideal soft foods are:

  • Yogurt
  • Pudding
  • Soups
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Applesauce
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Soft, cooked vegetables

Brushing teeth after wisdom teeth removal

Don’t brush your teeth for 24 hours after your surgery. You should also avoid swishing and using mouthwash. These things can remove the protective blood clot from the extraction site, which may lead to dry socket. After the first 24 hours, gently brush your teeth carefully avoiding your wounds. Your dentist may also recommend rinsing with a warm saltwater solution every 2 hours and after meals. Gentle brushing and rinsing will keep your mouth clean and prevent infection.

When can you drink alcohol after wisdom teeth removal?

Alcohol may slow wound healing; so, it's best to avoid drinking alcohol for 5-7 days after surgery. 

Smoking after wisdom teeth removal

If you use tobacco, don't smoke for at least 3 days and avoid chewing tobacco for at least a week after wisdom teeth removal. Tobacco can slow wound healing and lead to other complications.

Wisdom tooth removal is typically a safe procedure without long-term complications. Minor complications such as bleeding, swelling, nausea, and bruising are common and easy to treat. Rarely, more severe surgical complications such as dry socket, infection, and nerve damage may occur. 

Bleeding after wisdom teeth removal

Bleeding is normal after your wisdom teeth are removed. Your oral surgeon will place gauze pads over the extraction sites to control bleeding. Once a blood clot forms, usually an hour or so after surgery, you can remove the gauze. Replace the gauze if your wounds are still oozing small amounts of blood which is normal. But call your dentist or surgeon if the bleeding is excessive. You’ll know you’re bleeding too much if blood soaks through the gauze for more than a few hours after surgery. 

Swelling after wisdom teeth removal

Mild swelling is common for a few days after wisdom teeth removal. Applying ice to your cheeks after surgery will prevent swelling. Let your dentist or surgeon know if you have severe swelling or swelling that lasts more than 3 days. 

Nausea after wisdom teeth removal

Nausea, or feeling like you may throw up, is common after wisdom teeth removal and is usually a side effect of anesthesia used during the procedure. This feeling typically goes away once the medication fully wears off.

Bruising after wisdom teeth removal

Your cheeks may have bruises on them after surgery. This is an expected complication. Bruising may last up to 2 weeks.

Dry socket

Dry socket, also called alveolitis, is a severe complication that happens when the blood clot over the extraction site doesn’t form properly or is lost before your gum heals. When this happens, the bone where the tooth was removed is exposed, causing extreme pain. In most cases, your pain will suddenly increase 2 or 3 days after surgery. It may feel like an earache or throbbing in your jaw. If that happens, let your dentist or surgeon know right away. They can treat this condition by placing special gauze soaked in an anesthetic, or pain reliever, in the socket. This will ease the pain. Depending on the type of dressing, your dentist may need to replace it every 1-3 days until your pain is gone. 

Wisdom teeth removal infection

In rare cases, you may develop an infection in the extraction site after your wisdom teeth are removed. Signs of infection are pus (white drainage that smells bad) coming from the wound, fever, and swelling of the infected area that is painful to touch. Your dentist or surgeon will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. 

Nerve damage after wisdom teeth removal

Rarely, nerves may be damaged during wisdom teeth removal. This will cause a loss of feeling in the tongue or face. The risk of this severe complication is low and depends on how extensive the procedure is to remove your wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the last set of adult teeth to grow. While some people never develop any wisdom teeth, others have problems with impacted, crowded, or decayed wisdom teeth and need to have them removed. This is typically done by an oral surgeon under light to deep anesthesia. Most people fully recover within 1-2 weeks and have mild pain, swelling, and bruising that goes away. Let your dentist or surgeon know if you have more severe complications such as extreme pain, signs of infection such as fever or pus coming from your wound, and loss of feeling in your tongue or face.

When can you use a straw after wisdom teeth removal?

Wait at least a week after your procedure before drinking with a straw. The sucking action from using a straw can cause you to lose the blood clots from your extraction sites. This leads to dry socket, which may cause extreme pain. 

Can I eat chips after wisdom teeth removal?

Don’t eat chips until your gums are fully healed, which can take up to 2 weeks. Hard, crunchy foods may damage your gums and slow down the healing process.

Can I drink soda after wisdom teeth removal?

Don’t drink soda or other carbonated drinks for at least 5 days after your procedure. Soda and other bubbly drinks slow down wound healing. They can also loosen your blood clots, which increases your risk of dry socket.

Can I eat rice after wisdom teeth removal?

Yes, rice and other soft or pureed foods are safe to eat after your wisdom teeth are removed.

How long does wisdom teeth surgery take?

The length of wisdom teeth surgery depends on how many wisdom teeth you have removed, and if they are impacted or surfaced. Removal of four impacted wisdom teeth usually takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.

How long does it take for wisdom teeth to heal?

It takes 1-2 weeks for your gums to heal after your wisdom teeth are removed.

Can I brush my teeth after wisdom teeth removal?

Avoid brushing your teeth for 24 hours after your wisdom teeth are removed. After that, it's important to gently brush your teeth carefully avoiding the extraction site. Gentle brushing and rinsing with salt water will lower your risk of infection after surgery.

How soon can you talk after wisdom teeth removal?

You can talk right away after your wisdom teeth are removed. But you might sound muffled because you’ll wake up with gauze in your mouth to control bleeding.