Wisdom Teeth Removal in Bowen

Wisdom teeth arrive last, into a jaw that has usually run out of room for them, which is why they cause more trouble than any other tooth. Having them out in Bowen means the surgery and the recovery happen in the same town, instead of a long drive home from Townsville or Mackay afterwards.

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First: Do They Actually Need to Come Out?

Often they do not. A wisdom tooth that has come through straight, that you can reach with a brush, and that is not pressing on the tooth in front of it can be left where it is and kept an eye on. Taking out healthy teeth that are behaving themselves is not treatment, it is surgery you did not need.

The ones worth removing are the ones that are impacted, that keep getting infected, that have decayed where nobody can clean them, or that are damaging the second molar next door. That call is made on an examination and a scan, and we will tell you plainly which of those yours is.

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The Scan Comes Before the Decision

This clinic has its own cone beam CT scanner, a Vatech A9 RC, so the imaging is taken in the same room as the consultation.

The lower wisdom teeth sit close to the nerve that gives feeling to your lip and chin, and the upper ones sit close to the sinus. A three-dimensional scan shows where those are in relation to your roots before anyone starts, rather than during. That is the whole reason we scan, and it is done here rather than sending you somewhere for imaging and back again.

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Removal, Including the Difficult Ones

Surgical removal is done at Bowen. That covers teeth that are impacted, teeth still under the gum and teeth that have to be sectioned to come out, not just the straightforward ones. If a case turns out to need the complex surgical work that Dr Ricky Sandhu does on his visits from the Gold Coast, that happens at our Bohle Plains and Kirwan clinics, and we would tell you plainly what the trip involves before you agree to anything.

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Being Comfortable For It

Most removals are done under local anaesthetic, and for many people that is genuinely enough. If it is not, say so. Happy gas, oral sedation and intravenous sedation is available here, and a general anaesthetic can be arranged.

A visiting anaesthetist attends this clinic, so a general anaesthetic can be arranged where the case or the patient warrants it. None of this is decided on the day: it is worked out at the consultation, when you have time to ask what each option involves.

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Afterwards

Expect swelling and soreness for the first few days, easing from there, and expect it to vary with how difficult the tooth was. You get written aftercare instructions and a number to ring, because the questions people actually have arrive at nine o'clock at night.

The two things worth knowing: bleeding that will not settle, and pain that gets worse around day three rather than better. The second is usually dry socket, where the clot in the socket is lost, and it is treatable and worth ringing about rather than waiting out.

This is the part that argues for having it done in Bowen. Going home after surgery is a short trip rather than a two-hour drive, and if something is not settling on day four you are seen here instead of deciding whether it is worth the journey.

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What It Costs

The fee depends on how many teeth are coming out, how difficult they are, and whether you choose sedation or a general anaesthetic. You get a written quote after the consultation and the scan, so the figure is settled before anything is booked. We claim health fund rebates through HICAPS at the desk, we see DVA card holders, and payment plans are available. There is more on our payment options page.