If you’ve got an impacted wisdom tooth, you’re the majority of the population. Though doctors don’t really know why we’ve got this problem, some speculate that our jaw bones has “evolved”, becoming smaller and thus not being able to fit our last wisdom tooth.
Whatever the reason, the tooth fairy doesn’t magically take it away. Unless you’re talking about a dental surgeon that’s wearing a costume. That’s just strange.
Using an X ray, the dentist would be able to see the condition of your wisdom tooth. As seen below, the bottom 2 wisdom teeth are impacted, meaning “jammed” against your last molar (Proper dental defination: a tooth so confined in its socket as to be incapable of normal eruption).
Zoomed view of one side
The only way to take out these impacted wisdom teeth is to go for a wisdom tooth surgery. This is usually done by a Specialist Oral Surgeon but can also be performed by a G.P.(General Practitioner).
Below are some of the frequently asked questions pertaining to Wisdom tooth surgery.
Q:How much would wisdom tooth surgery cost?
A: It would cost around SGD$800 (see also Ministry of Health’s average cost for institutions) Q: What are wisdom teeth? A: Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt at the back of the mouth between the ages of 17 to 25, or even later. Q: Why are impacted wisdom teeth a problem? A: A tooth becomes impacted as a result of a lack of space in one’s jaw. If left in place, the molar tooth next to wisdom tooth will trap foods in between and end up will cause decay, leading to pain of the soft tissue around. Or it can cause infection leading to bone resorption/ loss. Q: Why should I have my wisdom teeth removed if they have not given any trouble? A: Food particles and bacteria that are collected around an impacted wisdom tooth and can cause tooth decay, usually leading to pain and infection.
Q: How are wisdom teeth removed?
A: There are two options available: ? Local Anaesthesia, whereby injections are given to numb your mouth ? General Anaesthesia, whereby an anaesthetist administers a full (general) anaesthetic, so that you are completely ’sleeping’ throughout the procedure After the anaesthesia, the clinician extracts it out if the tooth is visible. If not, the clinician does an excision (cut) to expose to tooth and then taking it out.
Q: Can I brush my teeth after the surgery?
A: Yes you can, but you should brush carefully to avoid the surgical areas for the first day or so.
Q: Can I use Medisave for wisdom tooth excision?
A: You can use Medisave for the whole or part of the surgical fees depending on the complexity of the case. Under local anaesthesia, you can claim $800 per tooth. Under general anaesthesia, you can claim up to $1600.
Q: What is the total duration of the procedure?
A: The entire procedure will take approximately 60 minutes.
Q: If I do an excision of my wisdom tooth, how many days MC will I get?
A: 5 days
Q: What is the break down of the fees if I go under general anaesthesia?
A: Fees breakdown would be as follow (for 4 teeth):
Dental Surgeon’s fees:$2200 - $2500
Anaesthetist fees:$600
Day surgery (Private)/ Hospital fees: $700/ $1700
Total:$3500 - $4800
Q: What are the risks involved in removing wisdom teeth?
A: As in all surgery, there are always potential risks like bleeding, swelling and infection.
Especially with the lower wisdom teeth, the risk of nerve damage is present and is generally accepted that in 10-12% of patients, there will be numbness or altered sensation for the next few days.
And in approximately 1% of patients, numbness may be present for some weeks but very rarely is this permanent.
Another risk would involve damaging other neighbouring teeth.
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