Specialist oral surgery in Auckland

Costs vary with the complexity of the procedure, the anaesthesia chosen (local, intravenous sedation, or general anaesthesia), and whether private health insurance covers part of the treatment. As an indication, surgical extraction of wisdom teeth typically ranges NZ$1,200 to $3,500, a single dental implant NZ$5,000 to $7,500, and bone grafting (augmentation) varies with graft type and volume. At your consultation a full written estimate is provided covering the surgeon fee, anaesthetist fee, theatre fee and follow up appointments. Southern Cross and Nib commonly cover most procedures under their surgical plans.

You can make a self-referral to OMS Specialists. A GP or dentist referral is not required to make an appointment, and you can request a consultation directly through our website or by phoning the clinic. Many patients do come to us via referral from their general dentist or specialist orthodontist, and a formal referral with imaging and clinical notes helps our surgeons prepare a fuller assessment ahead of your appointment. If you already have imaging available (an OPG or CBCT scan) please bring it on the day or have your dentist forward it to us in advance. At consultation we will then perform a detailed history and examination and give you a treatment plan with all of your options.

General dentists routinely manage straightforward extractions and many simpler oral surgical cases in their own rooms. Specialist oral and maxillofacial surgeon involvement is usually recommended when teeth are impacted within the jawbone, fractured at the gum line, or closely related to important structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve (which supplies feeling to the lower lip and chin) or the maxillary sinus, or when intravenous sedation (twilight anaesthesia) or general anaesthesia is preferred. Dental and zygomatic implants, bone augmentation, surgical exposure of unerupted teeth for orthodontic treatment, and biopsy of suspicious oral lesions also sit firmly within specialist scope, given the dual qualification in medicine and dentistry required.

Most oral surgery is performed under local anaesthesia with intravenous sedation (twilight anaesthesia) in one of our purpose designed clinic rooms, which leaves you deeply relaxed and drowsy with little or no memory of the procedure afterwards. Local anaesthesia alone is appropriate for simple extractions and biopsies, particularly when you would prefer to remain alert. General anaesthesia (complete anaesthesia) is reserved for more complex procedures, longer cases, or for patients who are particularly anxious, and is delivered at an affiliated Auckland hospital with a specialist anaesthetist. At your consultation we will discuss the options and recommend the modality that best suits your case and your preference.

Most patients return to desk-based work within 3 to 5 days after wisdom teeth removal or routine surgical extractions, 5 to 10 days after dental implant placement, and 1 to 2 weeks following bone augmentation (grafting). Soft diet, head elevation and prescribed pain medication are usually advised for the first few days, with swelling and bruising settling progressively across the first week. Physical work and exercise can usually resume around 2 weeks, and most patients return to normal eating within 7 to 14 days. At your pre-operative appointment you will be given a recovery plan specific to your case, post-operative instructions and contact information for help and advice should you need it, along with a medical certificate where required.

Wisdom teeth that are fully erupted, asymptomatic and easy to keep clean may not need removal, and a watchful approach is often reasonable. Removal is usually recommended when they cause pain, recurrent infection of the overlying gum (pericoronitis), decay, gum disease around adjacent teeth, cyst formation, or damage to the second molar. Removal in your twenties is generally more straightforward than later in life, because the surrounding bone is softer and the roots are less developed, which can reduce both procedure complexity and the risk of injury to the inferior alveolar nerve. At your consultation we will assess your specific case using clinical examination and imaging (often an OPG or CBCT scan).

Bone augmentation (grafting) may be required when there is not enough bone volume or density to securely anchor a dental implant, which is common following long-standing tooth loss, advanced gum disease, prior infection or trauma. Grafting can sometimes be performed at the same appointment as the extraction (a technique known as socket preservation), at a separate appointment several months before the implant is placed, or in appropriately selected cases alongside the implant itself. The graft material may be autogenous (your own bone), allograft, or a synthetic substitute, selected based on your case. CBCT (cone-beam CT) imaging is used at consultation to plan this accurately and confirm whether grafting is required.