A surgical wisdom tooth removal
A surgical removal is for a wisdom tooth that hasn't come through, or is hard to reach: a small cut in the gum, sometimes a little bone removed or the tooth cut into smaller parts, then stitches that may dissolve. Irish practices publish €250 to €420 a tooth. If the tooth is impacted, you get 20% tax relief.
For a tooth that's stuck or hard to reach: the steps, the recovery and the cost.
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- €250–€420per tooth, at Irish practices
- 20%tax relief, if impacted
- 7–10 daysof swelling and bruising, at most
- 1 weekto the check-up, usually
What happens
- Numbing. Usually a local anaesthetic injection, a sedative if you're anxious, or a general anaesthetic in hospital.
- A small cut in the gum if the tooth hasn't come through.
- A little bone covering the tooth may be removed.
- The tooth in pieces, sometimes, so it comes out more easily.
- Stitches to close the cut. They may be dissolvable.
It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes or longer.
Check what your removal involves
Four quick taps. You see the likely type of removal, the likely cost, the tax relief and your recovery time. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want an assessment.
Say one lower wisdom tooth is stuck under the gum: that's usually a surgical removal, typically €250 to €420 at Irish practices, plus €50 to €83 for the x-ray, with 20% tax relief back.
How this is worked out
The likely type of removal comes from what you tell us: a tooth that's stuck under the gum, or partly through in the lower jaw, usually needs a small cut in the gum; one that's through and easy to reach usually comes out whole. The prices are the range Irish dental practices publish for a wisdom tooth, per tooth, plus a panoramic x-ray and, if you pick it, IV sedation. Tax relief is 20% of the removal when it's a surgical extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth. The recovery times are the HSE's. It's a guide to plan with, never a diagnosis or a quote: the dentist decides after an examination and an x-ray.
Afterwards
It can take up to 2 weeks to fully recover. Swelling and bruising can last 7 to 10 days, and your dentist may suggest 1 to 2 days off work. Eat soft food for a few days, and don't rinse, spit or have hot drinks for the first 24 hours. It's usually sorer than after a simple extraction. A check-up is usually about a week later, when stitches that don't dissolve come out.
Numbness or tingling in the tongue, lower lip or chin can happen. In most cases it's temporary, lasting a few weeks or months.
The cost and the tax relief
| Typical price | |
|---|---|
| Surgical removal, per tooth | €250 to €420 |
| Panoramic x-ray | €50 to €83 |
| IV sedation, if you want it | €200 to €500 |
| Tax relief on an impacted tooth | 20% of the removal |
Only a surgical extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth gets tax relief: 20% of the cost. A routine extraction gets none. Your dentist fills in a Med 2 form, you keep it, and you claim under the Non-Routine heading of your health expenses. How to claim.
Questions people ask
How much is a surgical wisdom tooth removal?
Irish practices publish €250 to €420 a tooth, plus €50 to €83 for the x-ray and €200 to €500 if you want IV sedation.
How long does a surgical removal take?
Anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes or longer.
Will I have stitches?
Usually. They may be dissolvable; if not, the dentist takes them out at a check-up about a week later.
Can I claim tax relief?
Yes, if it's a surgical extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth: 20% of the cost, with a Med 2 from your dentist.
Check what your removal involves
Four taps to the likely type, cost and recovery, then one Dental Council registered dentist or oral surgeon who covers your county rings you.