Wisdom Teeth

[Stiganator]

So I went to the dentist today for the first time in like 4 yrs. Every thing checked out fine. But he was saying I should think about having my wisdom teeth extracted. My wisdom teeth came in perfectly and are in good shape, my bite is good. Is this guy just trying to get me to do some expensive operation or should I have them removed?

 

[brikis98]

Unless he gave you some health related reason for it, I don't ever see the need for extra surgeries.

 

[conorvansmack]

Lot's of dentists ask their patients to have their wisdom teeth removed because the average person cannot fit a toothbrush all the way back there to adequately clean their teeth. Jaw bones (mandible) get in the way, even with your mouth closed. They claim that infections and cavities are more probable the longer they are left in. Some people can live with theirs in, but my dentist strongly advised me to have mine removed. I asked her what she would do if it was her daughter and she said that she would have them removed.

When I had mine removed earlier this year, they were huge and pretty messed up with plaque that I had no chance of brushing away.

 

[gramboh]

I had all 4 of mine removed on the advice of my dentist. Had general anesthetic for it (carries a risk I know) but had barely any discomfort after the surgery. My dentist thought they would mess up my otherwise well placed teeth if they came in.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Stiganator
So I went to the dentist today for the first time in like 4 yrs. Every thing checked out fine. But he was saying I should think about having my wisdom teeth extracted. My wisdom teeth came in perfectly and are in good shape, my bite is good. Is this guy just trying to get me to do some expensive operation or should I have them removed?

OK, here's the deal. One day my dentist said this to me out of the blue: "Let me know when you want to have your wisdom teeth removed." I was, wha...? He explains that although I was having no trouble with them and they were straight and all, one day they were apt to be a problem, and here's the reasoning:

1. They are hard to clean. Because of that, they eventually are a problem. It's just not possible to keep them healthy indefinitely.

2. They are less than necessary. They are far from necessary. They are way back there and you can chew your food just fine without them.

So, the general feeling in modern dentristry is to extract them before they are a problem. So, I had them removed, two at a time. I think it was the uppers one time and a year or two later, the other two. Fact is, it wasn't a problem for me. I didn't experience much pain and I don't think I even took the codeine-tylenol they prescribed. It was less uncomfortable than having a virus or flu infection. It cost some money, of course.

And look, 4 years between dentist appointments is asking for trouble. You don't want to get to a stage in life where you are regretting not taking care of your teeth. Healthy teeth is one of the most important aspects of health. Dental problems can really screw you up.

 

[Killerme33]

You can remove them now, or remove them in the future when there's a problem, which will be much more painful, difficult, and probably expensive. When I had mine removed the surgery was pretty painless. Only thing that hurt was when I didn't take the painkillers right away. Most miserable couple hours of my life.