Wisdom Teeth Removal: What to Expect Before, During and After Surgery
Most people who search for wisdom teeth removal are not really asking “how is it done”. They are asking “how bad is it going to be, how long will I be out of action, and what will it cost me”. If you have been searching “wisdom teeth removal near me” or “wisdom teeth removal Melbourne”, this article answers those questions in the order you will actually meet them — before, during and after — using the way we run wisdom teeth extraction at Springvale, Carrum Downs and Bayswater.
Before: the consultation and the x-ray
Nothing sensible can be said about your wisdom teeth until someone has looked at an OPG — the full-mouth panoramic x-ray. It shows how deeply each tooth is buried, which way it is angled, how curved the roots are and, for lower teeth, how close the roots sit to the nerve canal that runs through the jaw. Those four things decide almost everything that follows: whether the extraction is simple or surgical, which anaesthetic makes sense, how long it will take and what it will cost.
At the consultation your dentist will:
- Take or review your OPG (you can email or upload an existing one to us beforehand for a rough quote)
- Check for current infection, decay in the wisdom tooth or the molar in front of it, and any cyst around the crown
- Go through your medical history and medications — blood thinners, bisphosphonates and diabetes all change the plan
- Talk through anaesthetic options and give you a written, itemised quote
Our initial consultation is $50, and that is the only fee you pay until you decide to proceed. Straightforward extractions start from 150–200 per tooth; impacted teeth needing surgical removal run 200–450 depending on complexity. The full breakdown is on our cost page.
One honest caveat: a small number of cases — very deep impactions, roots wrapped around the nerve, or significant medical complexity — are better handled by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and we will tell you if yours is one of them.
Choosing how you want to be treated
This is the decision most patients underestimate. The options at our clinics are:
Local anaesthetic only. The default for simple extractions and many surgical ones. You are awake, numb and aware of pressure but not pain. You can drive yourself home.
Nitrous oxide (happy gas). Takes the edge off anxiety, wears off within minutes. We cover it in detail in our nitrous oxide article.
IV sedation. Twilight sedation administered by a sedationist. You are drowsy, relaxed and remember very little. You need someone to take you home.
General anaesthetic. Fully asleep. This is the right choice for all four impacted teeth in one sitting, severe dental anxiety, a strong gag reflex, or patients with additional needs. Our general anaesthetic cases run at Advanced Sleep Dental Solutions, the day-surgery facility at our Bayswater site, with a specialist anaesthetist team. Patients from Springvale and Carrum Downs are booked there for GA.
If you are weighing these up, our sleep dentistry guide goes further.
During: what actually happens
Once you are numb (or asleep), the sequence for an impacted tooth is:
- A small incision in the gum over the tooth, and the gum lifted aside
- A little bone removed around the crown if the tooth is buried
- The tooth sectioned into two or three pieces if it is angled or hooked — this is routine and makes removal gentler on the surrounding bone
- Each piece lifted out
- The socket irrigated and checked
- Stitches placed where they help the gum sit back down; most of ours dissolve on their own within a week or two
A simple, fully erupted wisdom tooth skips most of that — it is loosened and lifted out with forceps in a few minutes. A single surgical extraction typically takes 20–45 minutes of chair time; all four under GA is usually an hour to ninety minutes in theatre. Our article on how long wisdom teeth removal takes has more detail.
You will feel pressure and hear noise. You should not feel sharp pain — if you do, say so and more anaesthetic is given.
After: a realistic recovery timeline
Day of surgery. Numbness lasts two to four hours. Bite firmly on gauze for 30 minutes, then check. Some oozing for the first day is normal. Start pain relief before the numbness wears off, eat soft and cool, and rest. No straws, no smoking, no alcohol, no rinsing or spitting for 24 hours — all of these can dislodge the clot.
Days 1–3. Swelling peaks around day two or three; a cold pack 15 minutes on, 15 off during waking hours on day one helps. Some bruising on the cheek or neck is normal, especially after lower extractions. Begin warm salt-water rinses after meals from day two. Our guide to reducing swelling after extraction covers this day by day.
Days 3–5. This is when dry socket shows up if it is going to — pain that gets worse rather than better from day three, often radiating to the ear, with a bad taste. It is treatable in a short visit, so call us rather than waiting it out.
Days 7–10. Back to normal eating for most people. Stitches have dissolved or are removed at your review. Your post-treatment review appointment with us is free.
Weeks 2–6. The socket fills in with gum; bone fills underneath over the following months.
Does removing wisdom teeth change face shape?
A common question and a short answer: no, not in any meaningful way. Wisdom teeth sit well back in the jaw and do not support the cheeks or the jawline. Temporary swelling can make the face look fuller for a few days, and some people notice their face looks slightly slimmer once that swelling resolves — which is simply the swelling going away, not a structural change. The jawbone remodels slightly where the tooth was, deep in the back of the mouth, where it is not visible.
Fever after wisdom tooth extraction
Is fever after wisdom teeth removal normal? A mild temperature in the first 24 hours is not unusual as your body responds to surgery. A fever that appears or rises after day two, particularly with increasing swelling, pus, difficulty swallowing or feeling unwell, suggests infection and needs a same-day call to us. Swelling that spreads under the jaw or affects your breathing is an emergency — go to a hospital emergency department.
When wisdom teeth removal becomes urgent
Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out, and not every one that does needs to come out this week. But recurring infection (pericoronitis), an abscess, decay spreading into the molar in front, or a cyst on the x-ray move a tooth from “plan it” to “do it soon”. If you are in acute pain now, our emergency wisdom tooth removal article explains how we handle same-day presentations — usually by settling the infection first, then extracting within a week or two.
Frequently asked questions
1. How painful is wisdom teeth removal?
The procedure itself should not be painful with adequate anaesthetic. Afterwards, most patients describe two to three days of soreness that responds to over-the-counter pain relief, easing steadily from day three or four.
2. Can I go back to work the next day?
After a single simple extraction under local, often yes. After surgical removal of lower teeth, or four teeth under sedation or GA, plan on two to three days off and no heavy exercise for about a week.
3. Will I need antibiotics?
Not routinely. We prescribe them where there is active infection before the procedure or specific medical reasons, not as a matter of course.
4. Where do you offer wisdom teeth extraction?
Springvale South (wisdom teeth extraction Springvale covers Keysborough, Clayton, Mulgrave and Dandenong), Carrum Downs (Frankston and Cranbourne corridor) and Bayswater (Knox and Maroondah). Sedation and GA cases are booked at Bayswater.
5. Do I need all four out at once?
Only if all four need removing. We assess each tooth on its own x-ray findings. Where several do need to go, doing them together under sedation or GA means one recovery instead of several.
6. How much does wisdom teeth removal cost in Melbourne?
At our clinics, 150–450 per tooth depending on complexity, plus a $50 consultation. Sedation and general anaesthetic are quoted separately after assessment. See the cost page and our payment plan options.
Book a wisdom teeth assessment in Melbourne
Not sure whether your wisdom teeth need to come out? Email or upload your OPG and we will tell you what is involved and roughly what it will cost before you commit to anything.
- Springvale Dental Clinic — Shop 22, 792 Heatherton Road, Springvale South VIC 3172 · (03) 9546 0011
- Carrum Downs Dental Group — Shop T5, 100 Hall Road, Carrum Downs VIC 3201 · (03) 9782 1200
- Bayswater Dentist — 664 Mountain Highway, Bayswater VIC 3153 · (03) 9069 3100
All three clinics are open 9am–5pm, seven days. Bayswater is our sedation and general anaesthetic hub. Meet our dentists or see our FAQ.