Yonsei The Strong Dental
Dobong Stn. Exit 1 · Open 365 days

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Jul 26, 2026 · Wisdom teeth · Extraction

Do wisdom teeth always need to come out? Timing and how to decide

Dental model and panoramic image at the Yonsei The Strong consultation desk

Key takeaway Not every wisdom tooth needs to be removed. Here is how direction and gum condition determine whether to keep it or act soon.

Hello, this is the director of Yonsei The Strong Dental Clinic near Dobong Station, Seoul.

Whenever wisdom teeth come up, nine out of ten patients ask, "Don't I have to get it removed eventually?" The short answer: not every wisdom tooth needs extraction. Many patients from the Banghak-dong and Ssangmun-dong areas keep a straight, well-positioned wisdom tooth for years.

When it's fine to keep it

A wisdom tooth that grew in straight, bites normally against the opposite tooth, and can be kept clean with a toothbrush does not need to be pulled just for the sake of it. The condition is that you keep checking it — and the surrounding gum — at regular checkups.

Signs that call for a decision soon

  • It grew in sideways or at an angle and feels like it's pushing the teeth in front
  • The gum around it swells and hurts repeatedly (pericoronitis)
  • The same spot keeps getting cavities because a toothbrush can't reach it
  • The back of the molar next to it keeps feeling loose or trapping food

If any of these apply, we first check root direction and distance to the nerve canal with a panoramic X-ray before deciding on timing. Even without pain, leaving it can eventually affect the molar in front — so rather than assuming "it doesn't hurt, so it's fine," it's worth confirming the condition with an image.

When is the best time to remove it?

The best time is when there is no active inflammation. If it's acutely swollen and painful, we usually calm the inflammation with antibiotics first and extract afterward. The pre-extraction evaluation and timing matter more than the extraction itself — though root shape and nerve-canal distance vary from person to person.

We are open until 9 PM on weekdays

Wisdom tooth pain often flares up suddenly, so we stay open weekdays until 9 PM, 365 days a year. If you're unsure, a single panoramic image can clarify the direction it's growing.

Today's takeaway: a straight wisdom tooth can be kept and monitored, but swelling, pushing, or repeated cavities mean it's time to check the direction with an image.

One minute from Dobong Station Exit 1 — also close to Banghak and Ssangmun.