How much do all four wisdom teeth cost to remove?

In the chair under local anaesthetic, four teeth typically run $1,500–$3,500. Under IV sedation, add roughly $500–$1,000 for the sedation. Under general anaesthetic in hospital, total cost commonly lands $2,500–$6,000+ once you include anaesthetist fee, hospital theatre fee, and the surgical fees per tooth.

Is it cheaper to have an oral surgeon or my regular dentist?

General dentists charge less per tooth but refer the complex ones out. Oral surgeons charge more but handle the surgical cases routinely. For straightforward erupted teeth, your dentist is usually fine. For impacted or close-to-nerve cases, the surgeon's higher upfront cost is worth it for the lower complication rate.

Will private health insurance cover it?

Most extras policies with major dental cover refund a portion (50–80%) up to your annual limit. If you're going under GA in a hospital, the hospital admission and anaesthetist fee fall under hospital cover, not extras — which is a separate policy. Check both before booking.

Wisdom tooth removal quote check

Third molar extraction

Got a wisdom tooth removal quote? Check Australian per-tooth ranges for simple and surgical extractions, plus GA-in-hospital costs and public options.

Reviewed by an AHPRA-registered Australian dentist.

What it is

The procedure

Wisdom tooth removal is extraction of one or more third molars — the back teeth that erupt in the late teens or twenties. Removal can be simple (the tooth is fully erupted and comes out like any other tooth) or surgical (gum needs to be lifted, sometimes bone removed, tooth sectioned into pieces).

When it's needed: The threshold for removal is usually repeated pericoronitis flares, decay in the tooth or the molar next to it, cyst formation, or significant pressure on adjacent teeth. Many wisdom teeth never need to come out — fully erupted and easily cleaned ones stay for life.

Adjacent reads, if "is this fee fair?" turns out not to be the question you actually need to answer: how to settle a wisdom tooth flare at home before extraction, the swollen gum flap around a partially erupted wisdom tooth, and jaw pain and trismus from wisdom tooth pressure.

Benchmark

What a fair quote looks like

Ranges below are based on the ADA fee survey and typical Australian practice fees. Your specific quote will vary — clinic, complexity, location, clinician.

Simple extraction (per tooth)

$250–$600

Erupted, no surgical lift required, local anaesthetic.

Surgical extraction (per tooth)

$400–$1,000+

Partially erupted or impacted; gum lift, sometimes bone removal.

All four under general anaesthetic

$2,500–$6,000+

Hospital admission, anaesthetist fee, plus the surgical fee per tooth.

ADA item codes 311 (simple extraction), 314 (surgical), 322 (impacted), 323 (complicated impacted), 327 (sectioning).

What moves the price

Why quotes vary

Common factors that shift wisdom tooth removal fees between clinics and cases.

Simple vs surgical — angle of the tooth, how erupted it is, distance from the inferior alveolar nerve.
Local anaesthetic vs IV sedation vs general anaesthetic. GA adds anaesthetist and hospital costs.
Whether one tooth or all four are done at once (usually cheaper per-tooth in a single appointment).
General dentist vs oral surgeon. Surgeons charge more but handle the difficult ones routinely.

Public option

What public dental covers

Public dental in most states covers wisdom tooth removal for eligible patients (HCC / PCC) at no cost or small co-pay. Simple extractions are usually done at community dental clinics; complex surgical extractions and any GA cases are referred to the major dental hospitals (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide). Waiting lists are long for non-emergency extractions.

See our public dental access by Australian state pages for eligibility, wait times, and the emergency pathway in your jurisdiction. If your nearest dentist is hours away, our options when there is no dentist in your town guide covers the drive-or-wait call.

Insurance

What private health typically rebates

Private health extras typically refund 50–80% of extraction fees up to your annual limit. GA-related hospital admission may be covered under hospital cover rather than extras — check both. Many funds have a 12-month waiting period on major dental.

Other options

Alternatives

The alternative is leaving the tooth in. For asymptomatic wisdom teeth that are fully erupted and cleanable, that's often the right call. For repeated flares, decay risk, or impaction causing damage to neighbouring teeth, leaving them in just defers the cost and adds risk.

Not sure if you actually need this?

Before you commit to a quote, an independent read can be useful. Send a photo and a short description; an AHPRA-registered Australian dentist with askadent replies within 24 hours with an urgency rating and an honest second opinion.

Send a photo — $25

FAQ