A wisdom tooth that cannot fully come through — impacted — often traps food and bacteria against the tooth in front, causing repeated infection and decay. Removing it is a surgical procedure: the gum is lifted, some bone may be removed, and the tooth is often sectioned so it can come out cleanly. This is cabut gigi bongsu, and it typically takes 45 to 60 minutes.
When this is usually needed
- Recurring pain and swelling at the back of the jaw
- Gum flap over a partly erupted tooth that keeps getting infected
- Difficulty opening your mouth fully
- Bad taste or discharge from the area
- Decay in the wisdom tooth or in the molar in front of it
What happens, step by step
X-ray assessment
We check the root position relative to the nerve in the lower jaw. Some cases are better referred to a specialist, and we will say so rather than attempt them.
Medical history and planning
We discuss risks specific to your case, including numbness of the lip in lower cases, before you agree.
Numbing
Local anaesthetic, tested before we begin.
Surgical access
A small incision, bone removal if needed, and the tooth sectioned into pieces to come out without force.
Cleaning and stitching
The socket is irrigated and dissolvable stitches placed.
Review
A follow-up about a week later to check healing.
Before any treatment
This treatment may not be suitable for every patient. Whether it is appropriate for you depends on an examination at the clinic. Before we begin, we will assess your teeth and gums, take an updated medical history, explain the available options, and obtain your consent. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation for your individual case.
Aftercare
- Bite on gauze for 45 minutes. Expect some ooze for the first day.
- Swelling peaks around day two or three. Ice for the first 24 hours, then warm compresses.
- No smoking, rinsing or straws for 24 hours — dry socket after a surgical extraction is genuinely painful.
- Soft, cool food. Keep hydrated.
- Take the full course of any antibiotic prescribed.
- Contact us for heavy bleeding, worsening pain after day three, difficulty swallowing, or fever.
Common questions
Do all wisdom teeth need removing?
No. A wisdom tooth that has come through fully, is in a sensible position and can be cleaned is usually better left alone. We do not remove healthy wisdom teeth preventively without a reason.
How much does wisdom tooth surgery cost in Malaysia?
Indicatively RM 800–2,000 per tooth here, depending on how deeply impacted it is and how much bone removal and sectioning is required. A partly erupted tooth is at the lower end; a fully buried horizontal one at the upper. Quoted after the x-ray.
How long is the recovery?
Most people take one to two days off and are largely comfortable within a week. Swelling and jaw stiffness are usually worse than the pain itself.
What are the risks?
Dry socket, infection, prolonged bleeding, jaw stiffness, and — for lower wisdom teeth close to the nerve — temporary or, rarely, permanent numbness of the lip or chin. We assess your x-ray for that risk specifically and refer to a specialist where it is significant.
Can both sides be done at once?
Often yes, and it means one recovery instead of two. It also makes eating harder for a few days. We will discuss which suits you.
Related treatments
- Tooth extraction — Cabut gigi
- Emergency dentist — Sakit gigi
- Root canal treatment — Rawatan saluran akar