Oral surgery in London

Oral surgery covers extractions (taking teeth out), wisdom tooth removal and other small operations. A general dental practice can do many of these without sending you to hospital.

What oral surgery costs in London

The London median published starting price for oral surgery is £280. Half of all practices start between £185 and £380. The borough table on this page shows the spread.

The range is wide because the work is very different:

• A simple extraction is the cheapest. The tooth is fully through the gum and the dentist removes it with forceps. The London median published starting price is £180, from 157 practices.
• A surgical extraction costs more and takes longer. The dentist needs to open the gum or cut the tooth into pieces.
• Wisdom teeth usually cost the most. Lower wisdom teeth that are impacted (stuck under the gum or bone) are the hardest. Across London practices that publish a wisdom tooth price, the median starting price is £350.
• Apicectomy is a small operation at the tip of a tooth root that has already had root canal treatment. It is priced separately.

Ask which of these the price is for. A practice that quotes £120 and one that quotes £400 may both be fair, because they are quoting for different work.

When you are sent to hospital

Some cases are not done in a dental practice. These include deeply impacted wisdom teeth, teeth very close to the main nerve in the lower jaw, and some patients with medical conditions. Your dentist will refer you to a hospital oral surgery department or a specialist practice. That referral can be on the NHS, even if you see your dentist privately.

A referral is a normal and safe decision. Ask where they will refer you, how long the wait is likely to be, and whether you can have it on the NHS.

Wisdom teeth that are impacted but cause no problems do not usually need to come out. NICE guidance says they should not be removed routinely.

NHS or private

Extractions are available on the NHS for the Band 2 charge of £76.60. This covers the whole course of treatment, however many teeth are taken out. The charge is the same in every borough. If you need several extractions, it is much cheaper than paying privately per tooth.

The hard part is getting an NHS appointment. See our NHS dentists in London page for practices that say they are taking new patients.

If you are in pain now, go to emergency dentists in London instead. Many people who need a same-day appointment need a tooth taken out.

Questions to ask before you book

• Is this a simple or a surgical extraction, and what is the price for each?
• Will it be local anaesthetic only, or is sedation available? See sedation dentistry in London if you are nervous.
• Does the price include a follow-up visit if the socket does not heal well?
• Who will do the surgery, and how often do they do it?

Dry socket is when the blood clot in the socket is lost and the bone is exposed. It happens after a small number of extractions. It is painful and needs another visit, so ask whether that visit is included in the price.

To compare prices across every borough and treatment, see our London Dental Cost Index.

Written and reviewed by the Dentist-London.com Editorial team. Last reviewed 6 October 2026. Prices are advertised starting prices, not quotes. Confirm the cost with the practice. This is general information and does not replace advice from a dentist about your own teeth.