Expert Wisdom Tooth Removal with your comfort first

No — and we will tell you if yours do not. Wisdom teeth that have come through cleanly and are causing no trouble are usually best left alone. Removal is for teeth that are painful, infected, decayed, or damaging the tooth in front. The assessment is there to work out which of those you have.

No — the area is fully numbed with a local anaesthetic beforehand, so you shouldn't feel any pain, only gentle pressure. We take extra time with anxious patients to make sure you feel completely at ease.

It depends on how the tooth sits. An upper wisdom tooth that is fully through often takes just a few minutes. An impacted lower one takes longer, but most appointments are completed within 30–45 minutes including preparation.

Most people feel back to normal within a few days. Swelling and stiffness usually peak on the second or third day rather than straight afterwards, which catches people out — a cold compress helps. We'll give you clear aftercare instructions and are always at the end of the phone if you have any concerns during healing.

Plan for a quiet day or two after a lower wisdom tooth, and expect less than that for an upper one. We'll advise you on what to expect based on your specific tooth, and give you clear guidance on eating, resting and caring for the area while it heals.

Yes. We keep emergency appointments free each day for urgent cases across Swiss Cottage, Hampstead and Belsize Park. Call us and we'll do our best to see you the same day.

The roots of a lower wisdom tooth can sit close to the nerve that gives feeling to your lip and chin, and it is a fair thing to ask about. That closeness is exactly why we image the tooth before we touch it — a scan shows us where the roots actually run, so the removal is planned around them rather than discovered on the day. We will go through what we find with you, in plain language, before you decide anything.

That is usually the flap of gum over a part-erupted tooth becoming infected. Food and bacteria get underneath it and cannot be brushed out. It often settles for a while and then flares up again, which is the pattern people describe to us most. It is worth having looked at rather than waiting for the next flare-up.

No. Wisdom teeth are not usually replaced. They sit at the very back, you do not chew on them the way you do the rest, and the teeth in front do not drift into the space the way they can elsewhere in the mouth. Once it has healed, most people notice nothing except that the pain has gone.

Tell us when you get in touch and we will plan the appointment around it. We explain each step before we do it, agree a signal so you can stop us whenever you need to, and keep things unhurried. Being frightened of this is common and it is not something you need to apologise for.