Oral surgery in the south of Tenerife

Wisdom teeth: when it is advisable to extract them and when it is not

Name: Clínica Dental Los Cristianos — Smile Tenerife
Address: Calle Barranquillo, 2, Los Cristianos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 38650, ES
Telephone: +34 654 58 55 53
Price range: €€

The industry has been extracting wisdom teeth "just in case" for decades. The Spanish guide to oral surgery says something else, with its highest grade of recommendation: if there is no infection or pathology, the extraction is not indicated. Here we tell you when it's appropriate, when it's not, and what the surgery is like when it's truly necessary.

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SECIB guideline criterion, not "just in case"
Panoramic radiograph in evaluation
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Wisdom tooth extraction at the dental clinic

Quick summary

The most important thing before deciding

Grade Aper the recommendation of the Spanish guideline: without pathology, preventive extraction is not indicated

17–25years: the typical eruption age. Late eruption alone does not doom them

~7 %of alveolitis after the extraction of impacted lower wisdom teeth, according to the most recent meta-analysis

<1 %of persistent sensory alterations in large case series — and the risk is estimated beforehand with radiography

The rule: Wisdom teeth that are causing problems or are predictably going to cause them are extracted — not all of them routinely.
The condition: Preserving them implies monitoring them. Periodic clinical and radiographic evaluation: without follow-up, there is no preservation.
The star myth: No, wisdom teeth are not crowding your front teeth. An orthodontist explains.
When it is warranted: planned surgery with X-ray (and CBCT if the nerve is close), with day-by-day recovery described.

What the Spanish guide says — and almost nobody publishes

Asymptomatic wisdom teeth: "just in case" extraction is not indicated

This is not an opinion of ours: it is the Clinical Practice Guideline on Third Molars by the Spanish Society of Oral Surgery (SECIB), with its highest recommendation grade: when there is no infection or other associated pathology, extraction is not indicated. The same guideline expressly rejects age as a justification ("take them out when you're young because later it's worse") and supports watchful waiting for wisdom teeth, including asymptomatic ones.

Why then so many wisdom teeth extracted "preventatively"? Because the "just in case" brings in money, and because the myth has been rolling along for decades. Subjecting yourself to a surgery—with its discomforts, time off work, and risks, small but real— to prevent a problem that might never happen It does not pass any serious risk-benefit analysis. International evidence (including Cochrane) reached the same conclusion: there is no reliable proof to support routine prophylactic extraction.

That said — and this is the fine print of keeping them: Keeping your wisdom teeth is not forgetting about them. The abstention that supports the guide is monitoredperiodic clinical and radiographic review, because an impacted wisdom tooth can cause trouble years later without warning. During your routine check-ups, yours are kept under control — monitored conservation, not neglect.

When extraction is justified

The same guide that advises against "just in case" is clear about "when yes". Here are the actual instructions:

Solid reasons

Recurrent pericoronitis: The gum covering the tooth partially gets infected over and over again — pain, swelling, bad taste. Once it can be treated; recurrence calls for extraction.
Untreatable decay on the wisdom tooth — or, worse, on the back of the adjacent molar, caused by the position of the wisdom tooth. Sacrificing the wisdom tooth saves its neighbour.
Cysts or lesions associated with the sac of the impacted tooth, visible on the X-ray.
Damage to the neighbouring tooth (root resorption) caused by the pressure of the wisdom tooth.
Plan requirementsspecific orthodontic or prosthetic treatments, evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

What is not a reason

"Just in case" in healthy, erupted, or impacted wisdom teeth, without pathology.
"You are not getting any younger" — the guideline rejects age as a justification in itself.
"They are twisting your teeth" — the myth has its own section, below.
"Go ahead and take those four off" when only one causes trouble — every molar is judged by its record.

An orthodontist tells you so

Can wisdom teeth push your teeth crooked?

It is possibly the most widespread dental belief of all: front teeth crooked with age and wisdom teeth "pushing" are to blame. Evidence has been saying no for decades: Late incisor crowding occurs similarly with wisdom teeth, without wisdom teeth, and in people who never had them.. It is a natural phenomenon of aging—teeth tend to move throughout life—and the Spanish guide to oral surgery advises against extracting wisdom teeth to prevent or treat it.

Have this page reviewed by a orthodontist it is no coincidence: Dr. Lissett sees crowding relapse every week, and the solution never involves the wisdom tooth operating room — it involves aligners and retention. Extracting four molars to "decompress" the incisors is undergoing surgery for nothing.

The double moral: if you are offered the extraction of your wisdom teeth to fix or prevent crooked teeth, the indication is incorrect. And if your teeth have become crooked, the good news is that it has a solution — just at another consultation at this same clinic.

The dental nerve and the role of CBCT

The roots of the lower wisdom teeth sometimes coexist with the inferior alveolar nerve, which provides sensation to the lip and chin. It is the famous risk of this surgery, so to be honest with the numbers: the sensory alterations temporary occur in a small percentage of cases; the persistent, in less than 1 % in the broad series. It's not zero—it's low, and above all, it's possible to estimate before operating.

How? The panoramic X-ray shows the relationship between roots and nerve; when signs of intimate proximity appear, the CBCT (3D scanner) clarifies it in three dimensions — it is requested when it contributes value, not out of routine. And in cases of maximum risk, there is an alternative that almost no one mentions: the coronectomy, remove only the crown of the molar, leaving the roots attached to the nerve undisturbed. A very specific indication, but it exists, and it is useful to know that it exists.

The practical version for you: before any lower wisdom tooth extraction you will know what specific risk does yours have —not the generic one from the internet—and with which plan it is minimised.

When it's time

How wisdom tooth surgery is performed

Assessment with imaging

Panoramic X-ray always; CBCT if the nerve is close. Review of your medication and a written plan, tooth by tooth.

Local anaesthesia

The area completely numb. You will notice pressure and noise — unpleasant, yes; painful, no. And if anything bothers you, more is given.

Extraction

An erupted wisdom tooth can be taken out as a normal extraction. An impacted one requires opening the gum and sometimes splitting the tooth into fragments—it sounds worse than it feels.

Sutures and instructions

Stitches, gauze, written instructions, ice to take home, and a contact phone number. Follow-up appointment to remove stitches and check healing.

All four at once or in parts? It depends on your case, your schedule, and your preference — with local anaesthesia, it is usually done side by side. It is decided with you, not by default.

And regarding fear, let's be clear: with the area well numbed you will not feel any pain during the surgery —you will feel pressure, some noise, and the oddness of having someone work in your mouth, which isn't pleasant, but it doesn't hurt either. We'll check the anaesthesia before starting, and if at any point you feel anything more than pressure, you raise your hand, we stop, and we reinforce it. The terrifying reputation of this surgery comes from decades-old stories and exaggerated cousins; the reality in the dental chair is much more boring. If your anxiety gets the better of you, let us know when you book: going at your own pace is included in the price.

Recovery, day by day and with no sugar-coating

Day 0: numbness for a few hours; bite on the gauze, ice on the outside at intervals, soft and cold or lukewarm food. No rinsing or spitting forcefully. Start the anti-inflammatory routine. before until the area wakes up.
Days 1–2: the peak of inflammation — the swollen cheek on the second day is normal, not a complication. Discomfort manageable with medication; continue with cold compresses, soft food, and no smoking (seriously: it is the number one risk factor for dry socket).
Days 3–4: the swelling begins to subside and some bruising may appear on the skin or some difficulty opening the mouth completely — both temporary. Note: pain that is getting worse these days is not normal: call us (dry socket, treatable in a short visit).
Days 5–7: Downhill. Almost normal food, stitch removal, and a complete return to routine; intense sports are better starting from here.
Weeks later: The gum socket closes in 2–4 weeks; the bone continues to fill in from the inside for months. If food gets trapped in the socket the first few days, a gentle irrigation syringe (we will give it to you) takes care of it.

The first night trick: Soft and cold dinner (ice cream is literally therapeutic today), first dose of the schedule before the anaesthesia wears off completely, ice at 15-minute intervals, and sleep with an extra pillow. Have everything you'll need ready before surgery—soft food, the written schedule, something to watch—so your only job is to rest. On the second day you'll wake up swollen: that's part of the script, don't panic.

All warning signs—fever, swelling that grows past the third day, bleeding that does not stop, increasing pain—have the same instruction: call, do not endure it. Almost everything resolves quickly if it is checked in time.

Transparency

Price: why "it depends" is the only serious answer on the phone

Wisdom teeth

Wisdom tooth extraction from €120

Wisdom tooth extraction starts at €120. If it is impacted, close to the nerve, or requires surgery and a 3D scan, we provide the exact quotation after reviewing the X-ray.

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An erupted wisdom tooth that comes out like a normal extraction does not cost the same as a deeply impacted one stuck to the nerve that requires surgery and CBCT. Any price given without seeing your X-ray is a random number — or a hook.

What does this treatment always include here

The evaluation with panoramic X-ray and the honest classification: which ones are worth extracting, which ones to monitor
The CBCT only if it provides value — not as a routine surcharge
Anaesthesia, surgery, and suture, with the level of complexity quoted in advance
The written instructions, the ice and the contact telephone number
The suture check and removal

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about wisdom teeth

Do wisdom teeth have to be removed no matter what?

No. The Spanish oral surgery guide is explicit: without infection or associated pathology, extraction is not indicated. Those that cause real problems or are predictably going to cause them are extracted; the rest are monitored during your check-ups.

Isn't it better to have them removed when you're young, "since it's worse later on"?

Age alone is not an indication — the guideline explicitly rejects this. It is true that surgery is usually simpler in young patients, but that does not justify operating on healthy molars. If yours has a real indication, the sooner the better; if it does not, better never.

Do wisdom teeth crowd the front teeth?

No: late incisor crowding happens just the same with or without wisdom teeth — it is a natural phenomenon of aging. Removing them neither prevents nor corrects it. If your teeth have crooked, the solution is orthodontics and retention, not the operating room.

My gum hurts above the molar and sometimes it gets swollen, what is it?

It sounds like pericoronitis: the gum that partially covers the wisdom tooth gets infected. The acute episode is treated; if it happens again, that tooth has a clear indication for extraction. Don't let it become a recurring issue—each episode is worse than the last.

How long is the recovery?

The peak of discomfort is on days 1–2, the return to a normal routine comes around days 3–5, and the stitches are removed in a week. For very impacted wisdom tooth surgeries, it may be slightly longer; we will let you know in advance based on your case.

Can my lip stay numb?

This is the known risk associated with lower wisdom teeth near the dental nerve: temporary complications in a small percentage of cases and persistent complications in less than 1 % of large-scale studies. The important thing to note: your specific risk is assessed beforehand using a panoramic X-ray and, if necessary, a CBCT scan—and there are alternatives, such as coronectomy, for high-risk cases.

Should I have all four of them removed at once?

Only if all four are indicated — each tooth is judged separately. When several need to come out, it can be done by sides in two sessions or other organisational options can be considered; it is decided with you based on your case and your schedule.

If I keep them, do I have to do anything?

Yes: monitor them. Keeping asymptomatic wisdom teeth is a decision supported by guidelines, with one condition — periodic clinical and radiographic review, because an impacted one can cause problems years later without warning. They are kept under control during your regular check-ups.

Honest assessment

Request your wisdom tooth assessment in Los Cristianos

Panoramic X-ray, clinical guideline criteria, and a tooth-by-tooth plan: which ones to monitor and which to extract — and why. Write to us and we'll call you to schedule your appointment.

AddressCalle Barranquillo, 2
38650 Los Cristianos, Arona (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
Phone and WhatsApp+34 654 58 55 53
Emailinfo@smiletenerife.com
Opening hoursMonday and Wednesday: 10:00 – 19:00
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:00 – 17:00
Saturdays and Sundays: closed

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