Wisdom Tooth Extraction glossary of terms & specifications
15 technical terms, material grades and Irish standards explained in plain English so you know exactly what is on a written quote.
Sorted A to Z for quick reference when comparing specifications.
Free, no obligation. One registered dental clinic in your county replies, not five.
Key wisdom tooth extraction terms explained
3D CBCT Nerve Scan (€140–€220)
A 3D cone-beam CT scan ordered when a lower wisdom tooth's roots overlap the inferior alveolar nerve canal on a flat OPG X-ray, mapping the exact millimetre position of the nerve.
Alveolar Osteitis (Dry Socket)
A dull throbbing ache 3 to 5 days after a lower extraction caused when the protective blood clot dislodges early — easily relieved in 10 minutes with a soothing medicated dressing.
Conscious IV Sedation (Midazolam)
Intravenous twilight sedation (€350–€450 per session, not per tooth) administered through a tiny vein in your arm or hand so you feel deeply relaxed and have little or no memory of the surgery.
Coronectomy (Nerve-Sparing Root Retention)
A specialist technique where only the crown of a lower wisdom tooth is removed and the healthy root tips are left undisturbed inside the bone because they wrap directly around the lower lip nerve.
Distoangular & Vertical Impaction
A wisdom tooth angled backwards into the jaw ramus (distoangular) or upright but trapped beneath dense bone or the back of the second molar (vertical).
Form Med 2 (Surgical Extraction Tax Relief)
Under Revenue Tax and Duty Manual Part 15-01-12, surgical extraction of impacted wisdom teeth qualifies for 20% income tax relief on Form Med 2 (whereas routine simple extractions do not).
Horizontal Impaction
A lower wisdom tooth lying completely sideways (90°) inside the jawbone pushing directly against the roots of the healthy second molar in front.
Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN)
The sensory nerve running inside a bony canal beneath the lower wisdom teeth that supplies feeling to your lower lip, chin and lower teeth on that side.
Lingual Nerve
The sensory nerve running in the soft tissue on the tongue side of the lower wisdom tooth that supplies feeling and taste to the front two-thirds of the tongue.
Mesioangular Impaction
The most common wisdom tooth impaction (around 45% of cases), where the tooth tilts forward at an angle towards the second molar, creating a food trap and recurrent gum infections.
Operculectomy / Operculum
The flap of gum tissue (operculum) sitting partially over a half-erupted lower wisdom tooth that traps plaque and food debris.
OPG (Orthopantomogram Panoramic X-Ray)
A wrap-around full-jaw X-ray (€60–€100) showing all four wisdom teeth, their root shapes, bone depth and proximity to the upper sinus and lower nerve canals.
Pericoronitis
Painful swelling, bad taste and difficulty opening the jaw (trismus) caused by bacteria trapped under the gum flap of a partially erupted lower wisdom tooth.
Resorbable Sutures (Dissolving Stitches)
Soft braided sutures placed after surgical wisdom tooth removal that dissolve on their own within 7 to 14 days without needing to be pulled out.
Surgical Sectioning (Tooth Division)
Dividing an impacted wisdom tooth into two or three smaller pieces so it lifts out cleanly through a tiny window without pressing on the surrounding bone or nerve.
Get a wisdom tooth removal price from one local clinic
Tap the extraction type, whether you want IV sedation and your county. Your enquiry goes to one Dental Council-registered dental clinic or oral surgeon covering your county, and they contact you to arrange an X-ray and written plan.
Questions patients ask
How much does wisdom tooth extraction cost in Ireland?
A simple non-surgical extraction of a fully erupted wisdom tooth costs €150 to €300. Surgical removal of 1 impacted wisdom tooth costs €350 to €500 (€280 to €400 after 20% Form Med 2 tax relief). Removing 2 to 4 impacted wisdom teeth in a single sitting costs €700 to €1,400, and conscious IV sedation adds €350 to €450 per session.
Can I claim 20% tax relief (Form Med 2) on wisdom tooth removal?
Only if it is a surgical extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth. Under Revenue's Tax and Duty Manual Part 15-01-12, routine tooth extractions do not qualify for Form Med 2 tax relief, whereas surgical extraction of impacted wisdom teeth (in a dental surgery or hospital) qualifies for 20% income tax relief.
Does PRSI Treatment Benefit cover wisdom tooth extraction?
No. The Department of Social Protection's PRSI Treatment Benefit scheme covers an annual dental examination and €42 towards a scale and polish (or periodontal treatment). It pays €0 towards simple or surgical tooth extractions.
Need an impacted wisdom tooth removed or want IV sedation?
One Dental Council-registered clinic or oral surgeon covering your county contacts you. Nothing is booked until you have a written treatment plan.
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