Wisdom Tooth Removal Costs, UK
Private fees for taking out a wisdom tooth are quoted per tooth, and they depend on how the tooth has to come out, whether a scan is needed and whether you choose sedation. Here is what decides the price, what the NHS charges, and what our fee covers.
What Does Wisdom Tooth Removal Cost in the UK?
Privately, wisdom tooth removal is charged per tooth, and the price mostly depends on whether the tooth lifts out simply or needs a surgical extraction, plus any scan or sedation. At St Vincent Smile in Glasgow, Dr Davinder Kalsi's fee for taking out an impacted or surgical wisdom tooth is £450, a routine extraction is £125, and a CT scan, taken only when a root lies near the nerve, is £160. NHS treatment in Scotland is free if you're under 26; adults without an exemption are charged 80% of the NHS rate, to a ceiling of £384 per course.
Wisdom tooth removal in Glasgow at St Vincent Smile ›
Our Wisdom Tooth Fees at a Glance
| Item | Fee | Dental plan members |
|---|---|---|
| New patient examination, X-rays included | £70 | Included in your plan |
| Emergency appointment, if the tooth is hurting now | £70 | Free on your plan |
| Routine extraction, a tooth that is fully through | £125 | £113 |
| Surgical or wisdom tooth extraction | £450 | £405 |
| CT scan, only where needed | £160 | £144 |
| IV sedation, per session | £500 | No plan discount |
| IV sedation, each further 30 minutes | £250 | No plan discount |
Each extraction fee is for one tooth. Your written plan lists every item before anything is booked, so the total is known in advance.2 How the extraction itself goes is covered on wisdom tooth removal in Glasgow.
What Makes One Wisdom Tooth Cost More Than Another
- Simple or surgical. An upper wisdom tooth that has come through straight can often be eased out like any other back tooth, which is a routine extraction at £125. A tooth that is buried, half through, or wedged against the molar in front needs the gum opened, sometimes a little bone removed and the tooth cut into pieces, followed by stitches. That is a surgical extraction, £450.
- Imaging. Every tooth is X-rayed first; that is part of a new patient examination. A 3D CT scan is only added when a lower root appears to touch the nerve canal, and it costs £160. We take it here, on our own scanner.
- Sedation. Local anaesthetic is enough for most people. If you would rather be drowsy and relaxed, IV sedation costs £500 for one session, with £250 added per extra half hour.
- How many teeth. Two surgical extractions at one visit come to £900; with sedation for that session, £1,400. Doing both together means one recovery and one sedation fee rather than two.
- An infection first. If the gum around the tooth is swollen and sore today, an emergency appointment (£70) deals with that first, and the extraction is planned once the gum has calmed down.
Want a Fixed Price for Your Wisdom Tooth?
Book an examination with X-rays. You'll leave knowing whether it should come out, and what it would cost, in writing.
What the NHS Charges, and Who Pays Nothing
The figures here are Scotland's; England, Wales and Northern Ireland each set their own NHS dental charges. Whatever your age, there's no charge in Scotland for an NHS dental examination. Treatment, an extraction included, is free for under-26s, during pregnancy, or if your baby arrived within the past year, and it's free or cheaper if you get certain benefits or hold an HC2 or HC3 certificate. Other adults are charged 80% of the NHS rate, never above £384 for a single course of treatment.
Here at St Vincent Smile, we register children and teenagers for NHS care at once; adults wait for one of a limited number of NHS places, and can be seen privately until one opens. Our NHS dentistry page explains how registration works here.
When the NHS Sends a Wisdom Tooth to Hospital
Most wisdom teeth, NHS or private, are taken out in a dental practice under local anaesthetic. On the NHS, teeth that are unusually hard to reach, or that call for a general anaesthetic, tend to be referred on to a hospital oral surgery department, and how long you wait depends on your health board.
Privately, the question is the same: can this tooth be removed safely here? If the X-ray or scan shows a tooth that would be better treated in hospital, Dr Kalsi will tell you so at the assessment and explain the options, including referral.
What Our Fee Covers, and What's Separate
The £450 fee covers the extraction itself: the local anaesthetic, the surgical removal, with the tooth divided if it needs to be, the dissolving stitches, and written aftercare with advice on painkillers. If anything needs a second look as the socket heals, we check it.
Kept separate, and only charged if you need them: the examination with X-rays (£70 for new patients), a CT scan (£160), and IV sedation if you choose it. Dental plan members pay £405 for the extraction, 10% less.2 When comparing quotes from anywhere in the UK, ask each practice the same questions:
- Is the price per tooth, and is it for a surgical or a routine extraction?
- Are the X-ray and any scan included or extra?
- Who takes the tooth out, and how often do they remove impacted teeth?
- What does sedation cost, and who gives it?
- Who answers the phone if it hurts more on day three?
Going Private Without a Referral
You don't need a letter from another dentist to have a wisdom tooth out privately. Book a new patient examination with us, £70 with X-rays, or an emergency appointment at £70 if it is hurting now. Dr Davinder Kalsi, who carries out our surgical extractions, assesses the tooth and, if it should come out, writes down how and for how much. The extraction is then booked, with sedation arranged in advance if you want it. Our guide to wisdom teeth and X-rays explains what the images show and when a scan is worth having.
Recovery, and Time Off to Budget For
Expect three to five days before you feel normal again, with the first two the sorest. Swelling and a stiff jaw tend to be at their worst on day two or three. Most people book a day or two away from work, longer after a deep extraction or sedation, and should plan soft food for the first few days.
The cost of recovery is mostly ordinary painkillers and time. The one thing worth knowing about is dry socket: if the pain eases and then gets worse again two or three days later, call us: a dressing placed in the socket eases it. Read our aftercare advice before the day, and if nerves are the worry, read about sedation in our IV sedation guide first.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.