Impacted wisdom tooth extraction
An impacted wisdom tooth was removed after checking it with 3D CT.
WISDOM TOOTH
Told to go to a university hospital?
An oral surgeon, right here
Even wisdom teeth lying sideways or buried in gum and bone are removed by our oral & maxillofacial surgeon himself — after checking the position of the nerve with 3D CT.
Surgeon · Dr. Park Dong-Uk (Director, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist)
Extraction by an
oral surgeon
3D CT
nerve check
Conscious
sedation
WHY SEOUL KWON
The harder the wisdom tooth,
the more a surgeon matters
Removing a wisdom tooth is minor surgery close to bone and nerves. How the tooth lies, and how close it is to the nerve, determine the method.
01Extraction by an oral & maxillofacial surgeon
Our director personally removes impacted and horizontal wisdom teeth of the difficulty usually referred to university oral surgery departments.
02Nerve canal checked with 3D CT
A sensory nerve runs close to the roots of lower wisdom teeth. Distances that overlap on ordinary X-rays are confirmed with 3D CT before we plan the direction of removal.
03Extraction under sedation
If you are afraid of the dentist or need several teeth removed at once, extraction can be done comfortably under conscious sedation.
04Partner of Seoul National University Dental Hospital
If university-hospital care is needed — for example because of a medical condition — we refer you promptly.
IMPACTION TYPES
How the tooth lies
decides how it comes out
The direction and depth of wisdom teeth differ from person to person. The gold outline is the wisdom tooth; the dotted line shows the lower jaw nerve canal.
VERTICAL
Fully erupted
A wisdom tooth that has come in straight. Removal is relatively simple, but if it is hard to brush and keeps getting decay or gum inflammation, we recommend removing it.
PARTIAL
Partially impacted
Only part of the tooth has come through the gum. Food gets trapped under the gum flap, often causing painful swelling (pericoronitis).
MESIOANGULAR
Angled impaction
Buried at an angle toward the molar in front. It often causes decay or bone loss on the back of that molar.
HORIZONTAL
Horizontal impaction
Lying completely on its side. It needs to be sectioned and removed in pieces, and the roots are often close to the nerve.
BONY IMPACTION
Fully bony impaction
Buried deep in the bone. We check for cysts and effects on neighboring teeth with CT before deciding whether and how to remove it.
When we recommend removal
- —The gum around the wisdom tooth swells and hurts repeatedly
- —Food often gets stuck between the wisdom tooth and the molar in front
- —Decay has formed in the wisdom tooth or the molar in front
- —Orthodontic or prosthetic treatment requires it
- —A cyst shows up on an X-ray
Not every wisdom tooth has to come out. If it has grown in straight and is well cared for, it can be monitored at regular check-ups.
3D CT
First, we check the distance
to the nerve
A standard panoramic X-ray is a flat image where structures overlap, so it is hard to tell how far the roots really are from the nerve. For impacted wisdom teeth, we plan extraction after checking with 3D CT.
What CT shows us
- —The 3D distance between the roots and the lower jaw nerve canal
- —The number and curvature of the roots, and the thickness of surrounding bone
- —The relationship between upper wisdom teeth and the maxillary sinus
- —Whether it touches the roots of the molar in front
Sectioning to remove less bone
Taking out a sideways wisdom tooth in one piece means removing a lot of surrounding bone. Dividing the tooth into a few pieces and removing them in turn reduces bone damage and swelling. When the roots are very close to the nerve, we also consider other approaches that lower the risk.
PROCESS
Wisdom tooth extraction, step by step
Whether to remove several teeth at once or over separate visits is decided together, based on the teeth and your schedule.
- 01
STEP 01
Consultation and 3D CT
We check the direction and depth of the tooth and its distance from the nerve, and explain the method and expected recovery.
- 02
STEP 02
Anesthesia
We begin only after confirming the area is fully numb. If you prefer, it can be done under conscious sedation.
- 03
STEP 03
Extraction
If needed, the tooth is sectioned to reduce bone damage, and any inflamed tissue is cleaned away.
- 04
STEP 04
Stitches and bleeding control
The site is stitched and bleeding is checked, then we explain your prescription and aftercare.
- 05
STEP 05
Stitch removal
About a week later, we remove the stitches and check healing.
AFTERCARE
Caring for yourself
after extraction
How much swelling and pain you have depends on the position of the tooth and how it was removed. Below is a typical recovery.
Right after
Bite firmly on the gauze for 1–2 hours
- ·Swallow saliva and blood rather than spitting
- ·Avoid eating and hot drinks until the anesthesia wears off
Same day
Keep it cool and calm
- ·Apply ice packs briefly, several times
- ·Avoid straws, smoking, alcohol and strenuous exercise
- ·Take your medication on time; choose lukewarm, soft foods
Days 2–3
Swelling may peak
- ·Brush gently, avoiding the extraction site
- ·After this, swelling and pain gradually ease
About 1 week
Stitch removal and check-up
- ·Visit us to have the stitches removed
- ·By this time most people are back to normal daily life
Contact us right away if…
bleeding does not stop even with gauze, pain gets worse rather than better after 3–4 days, or you develop a fever or cannot open your mouth well. Please do not wait — call us at +82-2-6952-2788.
CASES
Wisdom tooth case
These are before/after photos of the same patient, same teeth, treated by the same medical staff, posted with the patient's consent. Results vary by individual; all treatments may involve side effects such as infection or bleeding — please consult the medical staff.
SURGEON
Wisdom teeth are removed
by our director himself
DIRECTOR · ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
Dr. Park Dong-Uk
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist · Integrated Dentistry Specialist
“The depth of a Seoul National University–trained specialist, with the warmth of caring for family.”
- —Board-certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist (Ministry of Health and Welfare)
- —Board-certified Integrated Dentistry Specialist (Ministry of Health and Welfare)
- —PhD in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Seoul National University School of Dentistry
- —First author, implant-related paper in an international SCI journal (Journal of Dental Sciences, 2022)
- —Intern, Regional Trauma Center, Gachon University Gil Medical Center
- —Resident, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, SNU Boramae Medical Center
- —Adjunct Professor, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, SNU Boramae Medical Center
Implants & full-arch implantsWisdom tooth extractionGummy smileGum graftingTMJ & jaw BotoxOral cancer screeningSedation
FAQ
Wisdom tooth FAQ
We answer every last question, carefully and in full.
Yes. Our director is an oral & maxillofacial surgery specialist who personally removes impacted and horizontal wisdom teeth of the difficulty level usually referred to university hospitals. We check the distance to the nerve canal with 3D CT before proceeding safely.
LOCATION
2 minutes on foot
from Gaerong Station, Exit 3
- ADDRESS
- 3F, 174-14 Garak-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Korea
2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Gaerong Station (Line 5) · 3rd floor of the KB Kookmin Bank / Starbucks building - PHONE
- +82-2-6952-2788 (in Korea: 02-6952-2788)
- PARKING
- Parking is available in the building — please ask at the front desk when you arrive.
- HOURS
Open on public holidays, too
Mon · Thu (late hours) 09:30 – 21:00 Tue · Wed · Fri 09:30 – 18:30 Sat · Public holidays 09:30 – 14:00 Lunch break (weekdays) 13:00 – 14:00 Sunday Closed Open until 9 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and until 2 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays. Closed on Sundays.
KEEP WHAT'S ORIGINAL & NATURAL
Through your teeth,
we see your life
Just leave your symptoms and contact details —
the dentist in charge will review them and get back to you.