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Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a Temple Square Dental dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Temple Square Dental to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at Temple Square Dental if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your Temple Square Dental dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at Temple Square Dental as soon as possible.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01296 434848.

Dentist

James Lakin

Dr. Lakin is a caring and approachable dentist who takes pride in helping patients of all ages feel relaxed and confident in the dental chair. Known for their gentle manner and attention to detail, Dr. Lakin is passionate about providing high-quality care in a calm, friendly environment. After earning an undergraduate degree from King’s College London, Dr. Lakin graduated with Honours in Dentistry...

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Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Temple Square Dental. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

1205 Reviews

5.0

11th July 2025

Everyone was very helpful and kind, smiling and relaxed, making my son’s visit a pleasant one

5th July 2025

Efficiency ,highly competent and professional. Warm friendly inter-relational skills. Felt all staff really cared and were genuinely interested about the patient and their experience, not just now but in time ahead too. Don’t think it was just because they knew there would be a patient satisfaction survey. Has been my consistent experience over a number of years. They have their organisational values set up on the entrance, which they do seem to meet, for me at least. Congratulations to this practice.

5th July 2025

Everyone is professional, very courteous and always willing to help in any way they can.

5th July 2025

Kind , calm and professional .I dislike dental treatment , have had many treatments in the past .Always having attended as requested .Although expensive I doo feel that this practice has my health and dental fitness as their top considereration . In a nutshell I trust Dr Arron Landau .

5th July 2025

Dr Prab Morgan is an excellent dentist. She explains every procedure which makes me feel more relaxed.

4th July 2025

The care to patients is first class, from all staff, there are delays in waiting for appointment but I don’t mind that as they are looking after the patient before me which is the right thing to do.

4th July 2025

I have been attending this surgery for many years, the environment is comfortable, the service very good and all members of staff are efficient and helpful. I would particulary single out Lucie and Prab. I don't enjoy going to the dentist but I have total confidence in this practice.

3rd July 2025

Humans dealing face to face with humans! Not reduced to second hand operations by way of a machine which replaces the warmth of human contact.

3rd July 2025

Great caring team, fantastic service been a client for over 30 years

28th June 2025

The dentist and nurse were very caring and helped overcome my fears. The treatment was excellent and no problems were experienced afterwards. Throughout the treatment, I felt confident in the dentist’s skill, as well as the competence of the nurse. The experience was less difficult than expected. Thank you.

28th June 2025

I saw Dr Aron for my routine check up. He was very professional, remembered my issues, asked about my personal situation and explained his findings very clearly. I felt listened to and was confident with his skills and recommendations.

27th June 2025

Prab the dentist is so lovely and accommodating as was her assistant and the reception team. A faultless visit all round.

27th June 2025

Friendly front of house. Excellent dentist made me feel at ease and explained everything at every step.

26th June 2025

Aaron was patient, professional and listened to what I had to say. His nurse was polite and friendly.

26th June 2025

Everyone was great. From Sarah and Amber out front, to Aaron and his assistant Natalie, I had a really positive experience and am very grateful.I was incredibly happy with the work completed / subsequent support by Aaron and will certainly be back.

Z

zahraxfiaz

My younger sisters dentist Aaron is amazing, makes her feel comfortable and at ease. She is no longer worried when coming to the dentist. Amazing practice!!!

14th June 2025

I was treated wholly without pain with a full explanation of what was about to occur. With two extractions I was expecting problems, but in fact there were none, and it was over much quicker than the time allowed.

13th June 2025

The staff are always polite, friendly and extremely helpful. I always feel valued as a patient. I have been a patient at this dental surgery for 48 years.

13th June 2025

Excellent staff, premises, and treatment.

13th June 2025

Everyone was efficient and caring. I have been given a number of options to think about for the future

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