Wisdom teeth removal near Zurich: when it is needed and how the costs work

Why wisdom teeth so often cause problems

Wisdom teeth are the molars furthest back in the mouth, one on each side in the upper and lower jaw. They come through last, and there is often not enough room. This can lead to pressure and inflammation.

When there is not enough room in the jaw

If there is no room behind the other molars, the wisdom tooth can stay trapped in the bone. It may come through only partly or grow at an angle, and can then press against the neighbouring tooth. A gap often forms between the two teeth that is very hard to clean. Decay tends to start there.

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?

A wisdom tooth is impacted when it stays stuck in the jaw. This happens more often in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw. Three medical terms describe how the tooth lies:

• Fully impacted: the tooth stays completely inside the jaw, with no connection to the mouth.
• Partially erupted (partially impacted): only part of the crown shows above the gum. Food debris and bacteria can collect underneath.
• Angled or horizontal: the tooth lies tilted or sideways and does not grow in the usual direction.

When wisdom teeth should be removed

Whether a wisdom tooth should come out depends on what the examination and X-ray show. Some signs clearly point to removal. In other cases, the tooth can stay.

Signs that point to removal

• Inflammation, or pain from pressure, at the back of the jaw that keeps coming back.
• An inflamed flap of gum over a partially erupted tooth (pericoronitis).
• Too little room in the jaw, visible on the X-ray.
• Decay in the wisdom tooth that is hard to treat because of where the tooth sits.
• A cyst that has formed around the tooth.
• Damage to the neighbouring tooth, such as decay or loss of tooth structure at its root.

When a wisdom tooth can stay

A wisdom tooth can stay if it causes no symptoms, has fully come through and is easy to clean. The X-ray must also show nothing abnormal. Sometimes even a deep-lying tooth with no problems is better left where it is, if removing it would be risky.

We monitor such a tooth at your check-ups, with digital X-rays only when needed. Regular professional teeth cleaning keeps even the teeth at the very back clean. At your examination, we will check whether this applies to you.

Do wisdom teeth cause crowding?

A wisdom tooth with too little room can put pressure on the neighbouring teeth. Whether it also crowds the front teeth is disputed among specialists and has not been settled. On its own, this is no reason to remove a healthy wisdom tooth.

Orthodontic treatment may be planned or under way. Then we decide together whether the wisdom teeth would get in the way. A separate page explains how orthodontic treatment at the clinic works.

Wisdom teeth removal at Zahnklinik Küsnacht, near Zurich

We offer wisdom teeth removal in Küsnacht, on Lake Zurich. Our clinic is centrally located in Küsnacht-Goldbach, near the station. Parking is available, and the clinic is wheelchair and rollator accessible. For more on the location, see our dentist by Küsnacht-Goldbach station page. You will find directions by train or car on our contact page.

The procedure has three steps.

Assessment with digital X-rays

First, we assess exactly how the wisdom tooth lies, using digital X-rays with low radiation exposure. The image shows how much room the tooth has and how close it is to the nerve and the neighbouring tooth. Based on the image, we discuss with you whether the procedure is needed and when it should be done.

Anaesthetic and the procedure

Removing a wisdom tooth usually requires a local anaesthetic. For the local anaesthetic, we also use intraosseous anaesthesia. The anaesthetic is delivered directly into the bone next to the tooth. This numbs the tooth itself, and your lip and cheek usually do not go numb. Treatment without an injection is mainly possible when removing decay with the laser. A separate page explains when a treatment can be done without an injection.

We remove the tooth gently. The laser reduces bleeding during the procedure. Our laser page explains how we use the laser in surgical procedures. Laser surgery is one of the focus areas of our medical director Dr Susan Oswald-Schütz.

Guidance while you recover

We give you personal recommendations for the days after the procedure. Most patients are back to their daily routine after two to three days. How it goes for you depends on the position of the tooth and the extent of the procedure.

You can request an assessment of your wisdom teeth online or call us.

Pain after wisdom tooth removal and how recovery goes

After the procedure, a wound in the jaw needs to heal. Some pain and swelling in the first few days are part of that. How strong they are depends on the extent of the procedure. The laser can help to reduce bleeding and swelling.

What is normal in the first few days

In the first few days, it is common to have:

• Pain around the wound once the anaesthetic wears off.
• Swelling of the cheek and jaw, most noticeable in the first two to three days.
• A stiff jaw: for a few hours, sometimes a few days, your mouth does not open fully.
• Light bleeding on the first day, often just pink-tinged saliva.

Aftercare tips that help healing

These general tips apply unless we advise you otherwise.

• Cool your cheek from the outside, taking breaks.
• Do not rinse your mouth on the first day. Just spit out any blood.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and strenuous exercise for the first few days.
• Sleep with your head slightly raised.
• Keep your tongue and fingers away from the wound.
• Brush your other teeth as usual, but avoid the wound.
• Take painkillers only after checking with us.

Wisdom teeth removal cost in Switzerland

The cost varies from case to case, so we do not give a fixed price here. It depends on the position and number of the teeth, the work involved and the X-rays needed. We advise you personally on the costs.

When basic health insurance covers the cost

In Switzerland, compulsory basic health insurance (Grundversicherung) usually does not pay for dental treatment. Article 17 of the Swiss health insurance benefits ordinance (Krankenpflege-Leistungsverordnung, KLV) names an exception. The exception covers impacted teeth whose condition amounts to a disease, for example with an abscess or a cyst. A tooth lying at an angle is not enough on its own.

Check with your health insurer before the procedure whether it will pay. If in doubt, request cost approval (Kostengutsprache). If you have supplementary dental insurance, the terms of your policy apply.

How the Swiss dental tariff works

We bill transparently under the Dentotar tariff, with our tax point value (Taxpunktwert) of CHF 1.13. In the Swiss dental tariff, each service has a fixed number of tax points (Taxpunkte). Multiplied by the tax point value, this gives the amount in Swiss francs.