Wisdom teeth removal - Am I just making my dentist richer???

[RachaelA]

I got my wisdom teeth (all 4) out about 8 hours ago. Yes this morning!

I thought to wait when I was about to have the out at 17. They told they'd recommend I do it then, but my teeth didn't bother me. They were straight. I didn't have any problems with them.

I'm 24 right now and last month one broke through. I got new xrays today and one was completely sideways and pushing on my molar.

Get her teeth done now when she is young and can take the time off. I took today off and I have to back on Monday whether or not I feel ready too.

I'm told my dental insurance/medical insurance will pay for all, but $300 of it. The total bill was like $3k.

 

[badblackpug]

You know the old saying. If it aint broke, dont fix it.

Yep, I've still got all 4 and have never been told to have them removed.

 

[runwad]

hey......that does that mean i'm unwise?
i never had wisdom teeth (two molars are missing also - not removed, just never there )
the dentist said my jaw is too small, which of course i point out if anyone says i have a big mouth

after reading this thread, i'm counting my blessings

No you are more evolved. That's what my oral surgeon told me, I only had 2 on the bottom...he said we don't need them so more and more people are now born without them.

I didn't get mine out till 40. I waited till the grew in mostly all the way only one corner not up. It was a simple extraction. I was fine the next day but the anesthia knocked me on my butt the day of the extraction wow was I loopey.

 

[ReneeA]

I still have mine. They came in straight, I had lots of room in my mouth, I keep them clean, my other teeth are all perfectly straight without the help of braces, and the wisdom teeth have never been a problem. The dentist hinted at me that I should think about taking them out the last time I went in for a cleaning and I told him what I wrote here verbatim. When and if they give me problems, then I'll have them out. Until then, why put myself through that? I would say the same about your DD.

 

[Halbleib1]

You don't know what pain is until you've experienced an impacted wisdom tooth

So true. It is the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. That is saying a lot considering that I have had two c-sections.

 

[Leajess99]

My oldest is 17 and will be getting his out soon. His are still impacted so his medical coverage will pay for them to be removed which results in a decent savings since we would have to pay for sedation out of pocket with the dental insurance. We talked to a woman who had only gotten her top wisdom teeth in and the bottom ones never came in so the top ones kept growing until they finally hit something and that had her mouth messed up badly. By then the roots were grown around her jaw bone so the surgery was very hard on her. Not willing to take the risk and after having 3 impacted and infected myself with emergency surgery to remove them, I won't risk that happening to my son.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

I am 35 and still have all of my wisdom teeth. They have never given me any problems. When I was younger my dentist wanted to remove them all, but I saw no reason and refused. I see no reason to go through that if nothing is causing any trouble.

 

[smokeyblue]

Get them out!!!!! I was terrified to get mine out. I waited until I was 24 because my orthodontist told me I didn't need to get them out. Big mistake, they shifted my teeth that I wore braces for four years to get and many more years with retainers. I now have partially overlapping front teeth due to wisdom teeth.

I ended up with two occasions where one of them became infected, it was terribly painful and dangerous because I have a mild heart condition. I finally got them out and it was nothing! My dentist did it and he did an awesome job.

 

[disfan07]

my brother had them out when he was like 17 i think???

As far as my dentist can tell, he cannnot see any wisdom teeth on my x-rays. He said its possible that they just have not developed yet but i'm almost 21 so he is thinking i might have gotten very lucky. If that is the case, I would be thrilled. But I am veryyyy slow at getting my teeth. My 4th 12 year old molar cam in when i was 18

 

[leahjade]

My daughter was told to get hers removed 6 years ago and decided not to and she's had no problems. The wisdom teeth came in fine and have not misaligned her teeth. Sometimes I think it's just a money making scheme by dentists!

 

[ceecee]

Please go to an oral surgeon to get 3rd molars extracted, they are much more efficient at it than a general dentist, in most cases!

 

[Ava]

I have had a dentist suggest I get my wisdom teeth out "as a precaution." Um, no thank you. Only one of them is at all broken through the gums, & they cause me no problems whatsoever. I am not having (and paying for!) surgery when there is no problem.

 

[pezheadmeg]

I would have her do it. If the insurance will cover it--get it done before there's problems.

I had huge issues with mine. One was impacted and infected--I went to the oral surgeon, he looked at me and said they had to be out within days. We're talking about weeks upon weeks of headaches because the teeth were pressing up on the nerves. It was by far the worst pain in my life.

And no I haven't given birth--but it was worse than having a dislocated and shattered ankle reduced while fully conscious with no pain medication.

 

[Mattsmommy]

I had mines removed when I was 23 (2 years ago). I was in so much pain. Everyone at working kept asking what was wrong I was so miserable. I called the dentist and was able to get an emergency appointment and had them removed. I felt so much better after they were out. I was going to take a few days off from work but I felt fine and went back the next day.

 

[scooterpig]

I'm 40 and still have mine. I guess. I don't know if they've even poked through or not. Has not lead to any problems so far...and really, I only have about another 25 years on earth, so, I think I'm just gonna run with the scissors on this one.

 

[clh2]

I was having huge problems with sinus-related headaches that was attributed to my wisdom teeth. I had them out when I was about 24 or 25.

At the time, I was living 3 states away from my parents. I was in a town that I hardly knew anyone (2nd job out of college), and I had to find someone who could take me home (couldn't drive afterwards for a couple of days).

 

[kkwis2]

I haven't read all the replies, but wanted to add my experience.

I suffered from really bad headaches during my senior year of HS. One of the doctors I was seeing for the headaches suggested I have my wisdom teeth pulled. At 18 the oral surgeon removed them without any problems - I was back to normal, other than eating relatively soft foods, in about a day. Headaches disappeared!

My DH didn't have his done until he was about 26. The dentist did it in the office - never suggested that an oral surgeon might be the better one to do it. His surgery and recovery were awful! The dentist ended up hitting a nerve which caused my DH to lose feeling in half of his lower lip. He still doesn't have feeling, just a little tingling sometimes.

Have the oral surgeon do them now!

 

[Evi]

I avoided having my wisdom teeth pulled for along time and trust me it hurt. The longer you wait the more time they have to set root and trust me root they will. Also they can push your teeth and make them move making some people need braces and they can make it harder to floss. Just pull em out lol

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Some people are born without them. My older DD has none.

my brother had them out when he was like 17 i think???

As far as my dentist can tell, he cannnot see any wisdom teeth on my x-rays. He said its possible that they just have not developed yet but i'm almost 21 so he is thinking i might have gotten very lucky. If that is the case, I would be thrilled. But I am veryyyy slow at getting my teeth. My 4th 12 year old molar cam in when i was 18

 

[donalduck]

You don't know what pain is until you've experienced an impacted wisdom tooth

omg you are right about that. I was in pain for a week and high on percocet. My wife is having her top 2 out this Thursday. She is 34. The dr said that the bottom 2 are ok so he is going to leave them.