Hello.
I am Dr. Jaeho Jeon, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon at ARC Dental Clinic and Visiting Professor at Seoul National University Dental Hospital.
In my practice, I meet more patients than you might expect who have been referred to a university hospital for wisdom tooth extraction.
Not long ago, a patient came to our ARC Dental Clinic Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery department, drenched in sweat and anxious about having a wisdom tooth removed.
The patient had already visited several dental clinics.
A nearby clinic had identified the wisdom tooth, and two other clinics had also examined it.
But the responses were all similar.
"This wisdom tooth should be removed at a university hospital."
"It would be better for you to have it extracted there rather than here."
Hearing the same recommendation from two clinics, the patient initially assumed that going to a university hospital was the only option.
So they began searching online for things like "university hospital wisdom tooth," "impacted wisdom tooth university hospital," and "university hospital wisdom tooth appointment."
But the more they searched, the greater their worries became.
Actually, not only from Gwanghwamun but also from Seodaemun, Jongno, Seoul City Hall, Euljiro, and Yongsan, patients come to ARC Dental Clinic after being referred to a university hospital.
Before I opened ARC Dental Clinic, some patients would drive for hours or even take the train just to have a wisdom tooth removed.
I used to joke, "You came all this way just for one tooth?" but I was truly grateful for their trust.
Even today, seeing patients who have worried for a long time about their wisdom tooth leave with a relieved heart is the most rewarding part of my work.
"Maybe we're a wisdom tooth specialty shop..." I sometimes think, though I'd say we're more like a wisdom tooth problem solver. 😄
After all, removing wisdom teeth safely and properly is far more important than simply removing many.
Hearing "I should have come here sooner" after extraction is the greatest reward I could ask for.
Seeing patients smile and say, "Doctor, I finally feel relieved," after months or years of stress is the most fulfilling moment.
I'm getting off track again... let me get back to the main point.
'Is this a wisdom tooth that can only be removed at a university hospital?'
"When can I schedule the extraction?"
"Is there any other option?"
After researching extensively, the patient finally came to our ARC Dental Clinic Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery department.
I'll never forget the first thing they said upon entering the consultation room.
"Other dentists told me to go to a university hospital. I searched for an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and came all the way here. Will it be too difficult to extract here too? 😢"
The patient looked genuinely worried. Having heard the same thing at multiple clinics, their concern was understandable.
I smiled and said:
Let's first take a look at the CT scan together.
Actually, whenever I receive this question, I never immediately answer "Yes, we can" or "No, it's too difficult."
Because wisdom teeth have more varied personalities than you might think.
Sometimes a tooth looks very difficult from the outside, but the CT reveals a straightforward extraction plan. Other times, a tooth looks simple, but the CT shows, "Hmm, we need to be a bit more careful with this one."
That's why I always tell my patients:
You cannot judge a wisdom tooth's character from a single X-ray
Panoramic X-rays are excellent diagnostic tools. But because they are flat, two-dimensional images, they cannot fully show how close the wisdom tooth roots are to the nerve, or the front-to-back spatial relationships.
That's why we sometimes need to confirm with a CT scan.
However, many people misunderstand the purpose of the CT.
The CT is not taken "in order to extract" the tooth.
It is taken "to plan how to extract" the tooth.
Where to divide first, how much bone to trim, which direction the nerve runs, where to apply force.
In the end, the CT is less of a photograph that decides "possible" or "impossible," and more of a map for planning a safer procedure.
Now, let's return to the patient's story.
As the patient had worried, the wisdom tooth was lying on its side and presented more difficulty than an average case.
But after carefully examining the nerve-to-tooth relationship on the CT, we found that it was a case that could be safely treated at our Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery clinic with proper planning.
When I told the patient this, they let out a sigh of relief and smiled.
So... I don't have to go to the university hospital?
I explained to the patient as follows:
I fully understand the recommendation from the other dentists. Looking only at the panoramic X-ray, the wisdom tooth appeared extremely close to the nerve, and a cautious approach was certainly warranted.
However, wisdom teeth can sometimes be difficult to fully assess from a single panoramic image. That's why I re-examine the actual spatial relationship between the wisdom tooth and nerve, the root shape, and surrounding bone condition using CT before making an extraction plan.
And there's one more thing I'd like to share here.
I am also an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon who trained and practiced at the Oral Cancer Center and Seoul National University Dental Hospital.
That's why I value the difference between wisdom teeth that truly require university hospital care and those that can be safely and systematically treated at a clinic-level Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery practice more than anyone else.
In fact, even today, when I determine that university hospital treatment is more appropriate, I thoroughly explain the reasons to the patient and make a referral. Conversely, when I judge that a safe, planned extraction is possible, I explain the rationale with the CT findings and proceed with treatment.
Of course, even local Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons like myself sometimes refer patients to university hospitals. Not all wisdom teeth should be extracted at clinics. But not all difficult wisdom teeth must go to university hospitals either.
In the end, what matters is not "university hospital or private clinic"
"Accurately assessing the condition of my wisdom tooth."
I believe that is the very first step that should be taken in wisdom tooth extraction.
Here is an interesting fact. When I tell patients, "Yes, we can remove your wisdom tooth here at ARC Dental Clinic," they often respond with something like this:
"Doctor, I was so scared because I thought I had to go to a university hospital. 😭"
The word "university hospital" strangely makes people nervous. It makes you feel like your wisdom tooth is extremely serious, that you'll need major surgery, that you'll have to wait a long time for an appointment — the worries start piling up. The waiting time is one thing, but the word itself makes it feel like something big is going to happen.
But I think a little differently.
"Being referred to a university hospital" and "absolutely must be treated only at a university hospital" are not the same thing.
There is quite a big difference between the two.
In actual consultations, when I explain using the CT scan, many patients say, "Ah... so that's why they told me to go to a university hospital..." On the other hand, quite a few patients say, "It was in better condition than I thought," with relief.
In the end, what makes patients anxious is often not the wisdom tooth itself, but the "time of not knowing" before receiving a clear explanation.
That's why I tend to spend a bit more time on wisdom tooth consultations. With the CT displayed on the screen, I explain point by point:
Patient, this is the nerve. Your wisdom tooth is lying in this direction. So this is my extraction plan. Please don't worry too much~
And the response I hear most often from patients is almost always the same. Haha.
"Now I finally understand."
Every time I hear that, I feel relieved myself. Because I believe that treatment begins with understanding, and that understanding is what dispels patients' anxiety.
If you are reading this and have also been told to go to a university hospital by another dentist...
Please don't worry too much from the start.
There are certainly wisdom teeth that require a university hospital. But conversely, after a more detailed examination with CT, there are also cases that can be treated with a planned extraction.
What matters is not "university hospital or private clinic." It is understanding why you received that recommendation and establishing the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific wisdom tooth.
Moreover, not all wisdom teeth are the same shape. So there is no single correct answer.
But one thing is certain.
Wisdom tooth extraction does not begin at the moment the tooth is pulled out. It begins the moment we review the CT and establish a treatment plan.
Today, too, I am starting this first step carefully together with my patients.
If you are currently searching "university hospital wisdom tooth" or "impacted wisdom tooth university hospital" on your phone, you can pause your search for a moment.
Instead, start by understanding why your wisdom tooth was referred to a university hospital. The answer is more often found not in the search box,
but inside the CT scan.
Today, too, I am slowly examining the CT together with my patients, explaining "why it needs to be treated this way." That is what I consider the beginning of wisdom tooth extraction. 🙂
Thank you for reading. This was Dr. Jaeho Jeon, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Visiting Professor at Seoul National University Dental Hospital Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, from ARC Dental Clinic.
The weather has been scorching hot day after day. Please take good care of your health in the heat, and I hope you have a cool and pleasant day.
