Wisdom tooth removal, also known as third molar extraction, is a surgical procedure performed by an oral surgeon or a dentist to extract one or more wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are the four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and bottom. If a wisdom tooth doesn’t have space to grow (impacted wisdom tooth), resulting in pain, infection or other dental problems, you’ll most likely need to have it pulled.

The process begins with the application of a local, sedation or general anesthesia to numb the area or make one sleep throughout the procedure. Once the patient is comfortable, the surgeon makes a small incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth, removes any bone that is blocking access to the root, and then divides the tooth into sections if it’s easier to remove in pieces. The tooth is then removed, and the site is cleaned of any debris from the tooth or bone. The surgeon stitches up the wound for faster healing, although this isn’t always necessary. The patient bites down softly on a gauze pad to stop any bleeding. The procedure takes about 45 minutes. Recovery typically takes a few days.