AI-generated illustration of a generic molar teaching model and dental mirror, not an anatomical diagram, an extracted tooth or our clinic.
No, not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. Some come through without causing problems. Removal may be recommended when there is pain, infection, damage to another tooth or insufficient room for the tooth to come through properly. In other cases, a dentist may recommend monitoring instead.
If you have been told you have a wisdom tooth, the useful question is not simply “When should it come out?” It is “What has the assessment shown, and why is this option being recommended for me?”
Ashburton Dental Centre offers wisdom teeth assessment and removal in Gosnells. This article focuses on the decision about removal, rather than the price of an extraction or a detailed food plan for recovery.
Summary of the Content:
- Having wisdom teeth does not automatically mean having them removed.
- A tooth can be impacted when it comes through at an angle against the gum or a neighbouring tooth.
- Pain, infection, damage and a lack of space are reasons a dentist may recommend removal.
- Monitoring may be an option, but it needs a dental assessment rather than a decision to ignore symptoms.
- Removal has risks, including dry socket and infection; your own risks and alternatives need discussion.
Why do some wisdom teeth cause trouble?
Wisdom teeth are the back molars that arrive last. A tooth coming through at an angle can press into the gum or against the tooth beside it; this is called impaction. Better Health Channel’s wisdom teeth guidance explains that food and bacteria can collect around these hard-to-clean areas, contributing to decay and gum infection.
That does not mean every wisdom tooth will develop a problem. Some emerge without causing issues. The distinction matters: the recommendation needs to fit what is happening with your tooth, not just the fact that it is a wisdom tooth.
What findings may make removal worth considering?
Pain, infection, damage to neighbouring teeth or insufficient space for a tooth to emerge properly are reasons an oral health professional may recommend removal. X-rays can help identify whether a wisdom tooth may cause problems.
Ask the dentist to explain the finding in plain language. Is there a problem now, or a concern about what may happen later? Which tooth is involved? What does the image show? If more than one tooth is being discussed, ask for the reasoning for each one.
Better Health Channel also advises that delaying treatment of problem wisdom teeth can lead to further problems or damage to nearby teeth. Asking about your options is different from deciding to put off a recommended assessment or treatment.
Can a wisdom tooth be monitored instead?
Yes, a dentist may recommend keeping watch on a wisdom tooth rather than removing it. Some wisdom teeth do not cause problems and do not need extraction. Whether monitoring is appropriate needs to be assessed by your oral health professional.
If monitoring is the recommendation, ask what that means for you: when to return, what changes to report and what would change the treatment decision. Do not use another person’s experience as a timetable for your own tooth.
If the gum becomes infected, treatment can include professional cleaning and improved cleaning around the area, with other treatment depending on the findings. Infection can recur if a problem tooth remains. Ask whether the proposed care is dealing with the current episode, the underlying tooth, or both.
Which symptoms should prompt a call to the dentist?
Gum redness, facial swelling, pain, pus, fever and difficulty opening the mouth or swallowing can occur with a wisdom-tooth infection. If your wisdom teeth are causing problems, have them assessed rather than trying to decide online whether removal is needed.
Our guide to emergency tooth extractions explains that difficulty breathing or swallowing and severe facial swelling need immediate attention. Seek emergency medical care for these symptoms; call 000 in an emergency.
What are the risks to discuss before deciding?
Removing a wisdom tooth is a procedure with possible complications. Better Health Channel describes soreness, swelling and a little bleeding for a few days, as well as dry socket, which can cause severe pain and an unpleasant smell. Smoking and difficulty healing increase the chance of dry socket.
Queensland Health’s wisdom teeth information also identifies infection, damage to nearby teeth and nerve injury among the possible complications. Nerve injury can change feeling in the tongue, lip or chin, and in some cases the change does not resolve. Upper-tooth removal can create an opening to the sinus that needs further treatment.
These are reasons to discuss your own circumstances, not a list that can predict what will happen to you. Ask which risks matter for your tooth, what the alternatives are and what the risks of leaving the tooth would be. The decision should include both sides of that discussion.
Does assessment always lead to surgery at the clinic?
No. Assessment can lead to monitoring, treatment of an infection or a recommendation for removal. Some wisdom teeth can be removed using local anaesthetic. A deeply impacted tooth or other medical factors may change the anaesthetic plan, and some teeth need referral to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Ask who would perform the procedure, where it would take place and which anaesthetic is proposed. Do not assume that every option described in a general article is offered at this practice or is suitable for you.
What should I plan for if removal is recommended?
Ask for instructions for your own procedure before arranging your week. After removal, the treating team will explain how to care for your mouth. Better Health Channel advises following the gauze instructions, eating soft foods for the next few days and avoiding vigorous rinsing, spitting and straws because these can disturb the blood clot.
Its general guidance also advises avoiding smoking for 48 hours after surgery, alcohol and excessive physical activity. Ask your treating dentist for instructions about these and when to resume your normal routine. A general article cannot set your return-to-work date.
Before leaving, make sure you know whom to contact if you are worried. Queensland Health advises returning to the treating dental clinic if pain persists or worsens, swelling gets worse, you suspect infection or numbness persists. Bleeding that cannot be stopped needs urgent advice or after-hours emergency care.
Arrange a wisdom teeth assessment in Gosnells
You can contact Ashburton Dental Centre to discuss an assessment through our contact and booking page or call (08) 9490 8777. We are at 9/62 Ashburton Drive, Gosnells, WA 6110.
Bring the questions you want answered: why removal or monitoring is being recommended, what the alternatives mean, the risks for your tooth and the proposed costs. You do not need to arrive having chosen a procedure.
By Dr Kav Bhinder (Dentist), Ashburton Dental Centre.
Sources
Sources checked 11 November 2026. General information for adults, not a diagnosis, a consent form or an individual treatment or recovery plan. Your dentist needs to assess your situation and explain suitability, risks and alternatives.
- Better Health Channel, Victorian Department of Health: Wisdom teeth (reviewed 3 June 2022): assessment, monitoring, removal and general aftercare.
- Queensland Health: Removal of wisdom teeth, patient information (September 2017): complications, individual risk discussion and seeking help after treatment.
- Ashburton Dental Centre: wisdom teeth removal service, emergency extraction information, Dr Kav Bhinder’s profile and contact information.
Reference: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. This is original writing referencing the sources above; no source artwork, consent form or patient-education framework is reproduced.
The featured image is an AI-generated illustration of a generic teaching model, not an actual patient, clinical anatomy diagram, treatment outcome or photograph of our clinic.
