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Oral Surgery
The area where the consequences of a decision made in ten minutes can last permanently, and where the most important question is often whether the surgery is necessary at all.
Most oral surgery is straightforward and heals uneventfully. The exceptions cluster in predictable places: lower wisdom teeth close to the nerve, upper molars close to the sinus, extractions in patients on bisphosphonates or anticoagulants, and grafting where the remaining bone was never properly measured.
Every one of those risks is knowable in advance from imaging and a medical history. So we are less interested in how confident a surgeon is than in what they measured before they were confident.
What we look for
Three-dimensional imaging where the anatomy warrants it, and a stated reason when it does not. A medical history that actually changed the plan — anticoagulants, bisphosphonates, immunosuppression and uncontrolled diabetes all should. Documented complication rates, including nerve disturbance and sinus perforation, rather than an assurance that complications do not happen. Sedation provided by someone appropriately trained, with monitoring. And clear post-operative arrangements: who to call at nine in the evening, and what happens then.
Questions worth asking
Does this actually need to come out? Asymptomatic wisdom teeth are often best monitored. Ask what the imaging shows and what would change the recommendation.
How close is this to the nerve or the sinus, and how do you know? This should reference your scan, not general anatomy. It is the single most useful question in the conversation.
What are your complication rates for this procedure? A surgeon who audits their own work can answer. Nobody has a rate of zero.
Who will I reach if something goes wrong tonight? Ask for the specific arrangement. Bleeding and swelling do not respect office hours.
Where we've reviewed oral surgeons.
No city has completed a review for this procedure yet. Every market is open to nomination.
Nobody is listed for this yet.
We only list dentists where the review has actually been completed. Nominate a dentist and this page becomes the first market covered.
Oral Surgery.
Do wisdom teeth always need removing?
No. Wisdom teeth that are fully erupted, cleanable and causing no problems are frequently monitored rather than removed. Beyond that the profession genuinely disagrees — UK guidance discourages removing symptom-free impacted teeth, while US oral and maxillofacial surgeons more often support removal in selected cases — so a recommendation either way should come with reasons specific to your teeth. Removal is clearly indicated for recurrent infection, decay that cannot be restored, damage to the neighboring tooth, or associated pathology.
How long does recovery from an extraction take?
A simple extraction is usually comfortable within two to three days. A surgical lower wisdom tooth commonly involves three to seven days of swelling and restricted opening. Bone grafting adds no discomfort but does add months of healing before anything can be built on it.
What is the risk of permanent nerve damage?
For lower wisdom teeth it is low but real, and it depends heavily on how close the roots sit to the nerve — which is exactly what pre-operative imaging establishes. Ask for the risk in your case, based on your scan, rather than the general figure.