can a general dentist take out a wisdom tooth?

[musicmanJ]

I need a question answered please. Is it possible for a regular dentist to take out a wisdom tooth if it is a soft tissue impaction or do you have to go to an oral surgeon? The reason I ask is because I would rather have a regular dentist establishment do the procedure. I have a phobia of being put under, and I think I recall calling Castle Dental (a regular dental establishment) and they told me they wouldn't do that--neither take out the wisdom teeth nor do it without putting me under. Can someone give me some advice?

 

[pearlygirl]

Re: Question

I'm not sure how a dentist would answer that question, but I got my wisdom teeth removed in 1998 and one of them was horizontally impacted. I had to get it done by an oral surgeon in a hospital under general anaesthetic. The dentist I was seeing at the time was excellent, with all the latest technology and stuff, but he still referred me to the oral surgeon. So I'm not sure if ordinary dentists can do that kind of removal...but someone else here might have a different answer.

However, with the general anesthetic thing, I know of people who opted to be awake in hospital while they were getting their teeth removed. They just received a whole lot of local anaesthetic instead. So maybe an oral surgeon would allow you to do that, too.

 

[Gordon]

Re: Question

I'm (sort of) a general dentist and I have no problem swiping the odd wisdom teeth. It's probably more common for general dentists here in the UK to do it than in the US, mainly because we get a LOT more practice at extractions than in the US.

It's not compulsory to get a general anaesthetic in order for an oral surgeon to remove teeth either.