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Wisdom Teeth Removal · College Area, San Diego
If your wisdom teeth are coming in crooked, pressing on adjacent teeth, or causing pain in the back of your mouth, you do not have to wait or wonder. Our office is on University Ave in City Heights — about a 10-minute drive west from the College Area and SDSU — and we handle wisdom tooth extractions in-house under local anesthesia. Many College Area residents and SDSU students make the short trip along University Ave for care they can afford.
We accept Denti-Cal, Medi-Cal, most major PPO plans (including many student insurance plans), and cash pay with up-front published fees. Before any procedure, we tell you exactly what it will cost. No surprises.
We are on the south side of University Ave between 52nd and 54th Streets in City Heights, next to Vien Dong Supermarket. From the College Area or SDSU, head west on El Cajon Blvd or University Ave — the drive is about 10 minutes. On-site parking is available, so you do not have to circle the block before an appointment.
Wisdom teeth fall into a few categories based on how they have come in. Fully erupted wisdom teeth that are decayed, infected, or causing crowding are removed with a straightforward extraction — the tooth is visible in the mouth and comes out much like any other molar. We handle these in-office under local anesthesia.
Soft-tissue impactions are wisdom teeth that are partially erupted — part of the tooth has broken through the gum but a flap of tissue is still covering part of the crown. This is one of the most common reasons for wisdom tooth discomfort and infection (a condition called pericoronitis), and we remove these in the office as well. Some cases require sectioning the tooth or a small amount of bone removal around the socket; we handle these with local anesthesia and walk you through every step.
Fully bony impactions — teeth that are deeply embedded in the jaw, fully covered by bone, and need extensive bone removal — or cases that call for IV sedation or general anesthesia are typically referred to an oral surgeon. If your imaging shows a fully bony situation, we will tell you plainly and refer you to the right provider rather than attempt a case beyond what we safely offer in this setting.
We start with a digital X-ray and a clinical look at the area. The X-ray tells us how the roots are oriented, how close they are to the nerve, and how much of the tooth is beneath bone or gum tissue. That information determines exactly what kind of extraction you need and lets us quote the fee before you agree to anything.
We use local anesthesia to thoroughly numb the tooth and the surrounding gum. You will feel pressure but not sharp pain. We take the time needed to get the area fully numb — if you feel anything during the procedure, tell us and we will add more.
For an erupted or soft-tissue impacted tooth, we loosen and remove the tooth, clean out the socket, and place a gauze pack. If the tooth needs to be sectioned into smaller pieces first, we explain that before we start. The procedure itself is usually complete within 30 to 45 minutes for a single tooth.
Before you leave, we go over exactly how to care for the site at home — when to change gauze, what to eat, how to rinse, and what to avoid (including straws, which can dislodge the clot and cause dry socket). We give you written instructions and let you know when to call us if healing does not feel right.
Ready to get those wisdom teeth out? Call us or submit a request — we will review your X-ray and give you a clear answer.
Most College Area and SDSU patients with wisdom tooth pain are good candidates for in-office extraction. The following situations are typically handled well in our setting:
Fully bony impactions requiring extensive bone removal, or cases needing IV sedation or general anesthesia, are referred to an oral surgeon. We will tell you honestly at the exam which category you fall into.
College Area — Common Questions
Our office is on University Ave in City Heights, a short drive or a Route 7 bus ride from the College Area and SDSU. We accept Denti-Cal, most student PPO plans, and cash pay with up-front pricing. Bilingual staff — hablamos español, nói tiếng Việt.