Wisdom Teeth Removal in Townsville and Bohle Plains

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. At both our Townsville clinics, Kirwan and Bohle Plains, the scan, the surgery and the review all happen at the one clinic, including the cases that other practices send on.

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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

Both clinics have their own cone beam CT scanner, so the imaging is taken on site rather than somewhere else.

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 both Kirwan and Bohle Plains. 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. Dr Ricky Sandhu comes up from the Gold Coast to both clinics for complex surgical work, including difficult wisdom teeth extractions, so a case that another practice would refer on can usually be handled at either of them.

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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. Oral sedation and intravenous sedation are available at both clinics, and a general anaesthetic can be arranged.

A visiting anaesthetist attends both clinics, 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.

Your review appointment is at the clinic where you had the surgery, so if something is not settling you are seen rather than managed over the phone.

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Kirwan and Bohle Plains: What Is the Same and What Differs

Wisdom teeth are looked after the same way at both clinics, so choosing between them is mostly a question of which is easier to get to from home or work. What they share, and the few things that differ:

• At both clinics: surgical removal, including impacted and under-the-gum teeth, cone beam CT scanning on site, oral sedation and intravenous sedation, a visiting anaesthetist for a general anaesthetic where it is warranted, and on-site parking. Health fund claims go through HICAPS at the desk, and DVA card holders are welcome. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.
• Kirwan: on Thuringowa Drive, near The Willows. Ring (07) 4723 2090.
• Bohle Plains: inside the Kalynda Chase estate, in Townsville’s western growth corridor. Ring (07) 4735 8500. The imaging unit there is a Dentsply Sirona Orthophos XG 3D, and the clinic has a kids’ play corner, which helps if you are bringing younger children along to an appointment.

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When a Wisdom Tooth Becomes a Problem

Wisdom teeth normally come through in the late teens or early twenties. These are the situations worth having looked at:

• A tooth that is only partly through. Gum that sits over part of the tooth catches food and is hard to clean. It can leave a sore, swollen gum at the back of the mouth, a bad taste, or difficulty opening wide. It may settle and then return, and a pattern of repeat flare-ups is a reason to have the tooth assessed rather than a reason to keep waiting.
• A tooth that is impacted. A tooth wedged against the one in front, or lying under the gum, can sit quietly for years or press on the neighbouring tooth. Whether it matters is a question for the scan, because the surface of the gum tells you very little.
• Decay at the back. A wisdom tooth is hard to reach with a brush. Decay can start in the tooth itself or in the second molar beside it, and a hole you cannot see or clean tends to be found late.
• No symptoms at all. A tooth that is straight, clean and not pushing on anything can be watched. We will say so if that is the case.

If a wisdom tooth is hurting now, ring one of the clinics and say so, or see our page on emergency dentist care in Townsville and Bohle Plains. If there is facial swelling that is spreading, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing, go to your nearest hospital emergency department or call 000.

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Choosing and Planning Your Sedation

Local anaesthetic alone, oral sedation, intravenous sedation and a general anaesthetic with the visiting anaesthetist are all options at both clinics. Which one suits you depends on how many teeth are coming out, how difficult they are and how you feel about it. Being nervous about the dentist is a good reason to ask about sedation, and a poor reason to put removal off.

That choice is made at the consultation, not on the day. If you are having sedation or a general anaesthetic, arrange for someone to take you home afterwards, and ask us at the consultation what else to organise beforehand. We would rather you hear it in advance than find out at the door.

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What the First Appointment Covers

• An examination of the wisdom teeth and the teeth beside them.
• A cone beam CT scan taken on site, to show where the nerve and the sinus sit in relation to the roots.
• A plan: which teeth, if any, should come out, whether any need surgical removal, and how you would like to be looked after on the day.
• A written quote before anything is booked, so you can check it against your health fund cover with your fund.

If you speak a language other than English at home, say so when you book. Hindi, Punjabi and Nepali are spoken across our clinics, and Dr Pa Sia, who works at both Kirwan and Bohle Plains, speaks Hmong. Who is rostered varies by day, so ask when you ring. There is more on our languages page.

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Who We See Around Kirwan and Bohle Plains

Wisdom teeth tend to be a question for older teenagers and young adults. Bohle Plains has one of Townsville’s youngest populations and Kirwan is one of its largest suburbs, so it is a question close to home at both clinics.

Bohle Plains is one of Townsville’s youngest suburbs: the median age is 28, against 38 across Queensland, and 48.5% of local families are couples with children. Defence is the largest employer of Bohle Plains residents, at 18.2%, and we see DVA card holders at both clinics.

Kirwan is one of Townsville’s largest suburbs, with 20,780 residents and a median age of 38, in line with the state. Together the two clinics serve the western side of Townsville.

Population figures: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats for Bohle Plains and Kirwan.

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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. Both clinics also accept Queensland Health vouchers. There is more on our payment options page.