What does NICE recommend for wisdom tooth extraction?
Based on evidence following the appraisal, NICE gave the NHS the following recommendations regarding the extraction of a wisdom tooth:Impacted wisdom teeth that are free from disease (healthy) should not be operated on. There are two reasons for this: • There is no reliable research to suggest that this practice benefits patients • Patients who do have healthy wisdom teeth removed are being exposed to the risks of surgery. These can include nerve damage, damage to other teeth, infection, bleeding and, rarely, death. Also, following wisdom tooth extraction surgery, patients may experience swelling or pain and be unable to open their mouth fully Patients who have impacted wisdom teeth that are not causing problems should visit their dentist for their usual check-upsOnly patients with diseased wisdom teeth, or other problems with their mouth, should have their wisdom teeth removed Your dentist or oral surgeon will be aware of the sort of disease or condition which would require you to hav
