wisdom teeth ??
Posted by Anonymous on Dec 08, 2008 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
I just got back from the dentist and they told me that I should have my wisdom teeth taken out :-\ I really don't want to do this if I don't absoultley have to.
I'm 23 and only one of my wisdom teeth have grown in (so far anyway). It doesn't seem to be causing any problems. I'm not sure if the other three are going to grow in or not. What did you guys do? Have you had your wisdom teeth taken out or not? Any advice?
Do it and get 'er done before they get bad. I only had two that were coming through, but they took all four out. I've heard horror stories about impacted ones, peole who took too long to get them done and now blah blah... but also people who aren't affected at all by them, but those are rare (at least in my experience).
It's not all that bad, really. It's worse to let them start growing. They're funny that way- they grow in a little, then retreat. As soon as you feel relief, they grow back in a little. This torturous play can keep up for years. Plus they give you painkillers and put you under so you have a fun day. And you get to drink (soy)milkshakes and fun stuff because you can't really chew for a few days. Good times.
Yeah, if you let it go too long, the roots grow around your jaw bone and you have to have major intensive surgery. No thanks!
Getting your wisdom teeth out is NOT so bad. Especially if someone takes care of you! I thought it was such a nice experience! I just got to lay in bed and read and watch movies and people visited me. :) I was like "I wish I could get my wisdom teeth out all the time!" Hee...
I had my wisdom teeth surgically removed because they were impacted. If yours are not causing problems and if they aren't impacted you shouldn't get them removed. The dirty truth is that dentists and oral surgeons have a priority of making money and exchanging patients. No offense to anyone in this line of work but every filling I have is from the same dentist and I had never had a cavity in my life and couldn't see any cavities on my x-rays - sketchy!
My boyfriend was advised by his last dentist to have his wisdom teeth removed and he is 32 with no problems with his wisdom teeth. Unless you see impaction on x-rays or there are cavities there is NO reason to have them removed. It's a very painful experience and for me, it was a rushed procedure that left me with dry socket and pain that continued a year after the surgery. Not everyone needs to have them removed, I know several people who still have them.
I was born with a second set of teeth which has made life very interesting. I had all 8 of wmy wisdom teeth out when 3 out of the showing 4 were an issue and it would be easier to take the additional 4 out. I knew though if they were too far up he wasn't going to get them but he was able to. And loved sharing my "unique" x-rays. A few years ago I had to get 3 other teeth out that had reached the surface (I also had many pulled when I was younger. I still have a few more below that surface that will not be touched unless they make themselves shown, LOL. I have had great dentists though who have understood I won't do anything unless necessary and I very often do not get any pain meds. But if I never have to go to the dentist or oral surgeon again I would be VERY happy!
I've heard so many horror stories about people's wisdom teeth. I only had 3 wisdom teeth and they all came out easily. I don't know why I didn't have a fourth....mutant I guess, but clearly not as big a mutant as BabyBumblB! ;)
When I got my braces off my orthodontist told me that I needed to get my wisdom teeth removed ASAP. I waited for 2 1/2 years and then they started getting infected routinely, thus being bothersome. The teeth were breaking the surface of my gums when I got them removed. My dentist and orthodonist told me they would be impacted if I waited, but they were never impacted. The surgery to get them out took the surgeon only around a half an hour when he said it normally takes him closer to 2. He said my teeth were in just the right position to get them taken out.
Because my teeth were so cooperative, it didn't hurt much. Obviously it hurt because of the massive cuts into my gums, but that went away quickly. I didn't really swell or need the opiates I took.
I haven't had mine removed and my dentist says he thinks mine will be ok. If your dentist is recommending you get them removed, you probably need to get them removed. Unless he's a dirty rotten scoundrel or something.
I got mine 4 removed. I asked to be drugged and asleep. Fun times indeed. My dentist told me that I were not to have them removed, they would not have grown out of the gums, but they would have pushed the neighboring teeth, which would have brought all sorts of problems. So I got them out at the same time! I looked like a battered chipmunk on my student ID card, though. Because I got them out a week before I started university.
I haven't had mine removed and my dentist says he thinks mine will be ok. If your dentist is recommending you get them removed, you probably need to get them removed. Unless he's a dirty rotten scoundrel or something.
;D
I had mine removed. There was something weird with one of them, I think maybe it wasn't there..or impacted...or something. I've had lots of oral surgery in my lifetime-braces twice, surgery to have a tooth pulled down in the front, chipped tooth, wisdom teeth. It wasn't fun at the times, but I'm pretty sure it was all necessary...to have semi-normal teeth today.
I would get them taken out.
I started noticing mine when I was 18 or 19. They started causing me problems around 21. I didn't have them taken out until I was 24 - I didn't have insurance or the money to pay to have it done until then.
Like Courth's, mine were infected a large part of the time. It was bad.
I'm also having problems with gum disease now (at 28). I have to wonder if the chronic infection from my wisdom teeth started the gum disease issue.
Anyway, if you have the opportunity to have them removed, I would go ahead and have it done. It may save you some heartache later. However, if you're worried the dentist is being a crook, you could always get a second opinion.
oh man....i want to get mine taken out SO badly!!!! i just don't have the money (having no insurance sucks!) i know that my bottom 2 are impacted... and my top 2 are growing out sideways and they rub against my cheeks....it hurts!! i agree that you should have them taken out as soon as you can (if you can afford it) to avoid the pain that comes along with them coming in....my husband had his removed and there was all kinds of infection around them that he didn't even know about...it was rough for a couple of days, but it was worth the temporary discomfort.
I had mine taken out sometime in high school and honestly they didn't ever bother me but the dentist said that if I didn't get them out then they would crowd the rest of my teeth and eventually push them crooked, so i was like...why not?
Look on the bright side..it's awesome sleep and you get some great pills. ^-^ I watched the Godfather trilogy in 30 minute increments while doped up on the hydrocodone; taking breaks to nap.
Good luck and you'll do fine!
FTR: I took my own stitches out from my wisdom tooth surgery. Mini scissors and tweezers.
All is fine, but I can't say I'd recommend it.
I had mine removed in my early 20's and DH was in his 40's, he got his done at the same time. He stopped grinding his teeth in his sleep. I stopped having such terrible headaches; not migraines, just dull, constant pain.
Aside from that I *am* a bit wary of dentists, particularly here. You can't see inside your own mouth and they know it. I have friends who go the recommended twice a year and they are forever having "cavities" filled and other expensive work. I have only gone when I really needed some help and I still have teeth.
I had all four out surgically when I was 21. My only caution would be that if you have had braces before, your teeth will shift if you aren't wearing your retainers.
Hence, my new need for "invisalign" retainers. They didn't tell us back in the day we'd have to wear our retainers forever, dammit.
They didn't tell us back in the day we'd have to wear our retainers forever, dammit.
Hence, MDV is on her second round of orthodontics. ::)
Oh but the clear thingies are so much cheaper! Instead of thousands of dollars I only paid $275! For a set of three for the top (to get rid of the spaces) and for one for the bottom (to keep them in place and not squishing together, which is where they were headed).
hugs, MDV, hugs.
eta: I guess I qualify for that as well, mine just aren't "braces". But they are a form of orthodontia. Dammit.
Oh, I have a built in bottom retainer still on. I figured why take it off..it's not causing me any problems..might as well have straight bottom teeth.
Your dentist/surgeon should tell you if they're impacted. If they are, the surgery is harder and usually more painful. Just FYI.
Oh, I have a built in bottom retainer still on. I figured why take it off..it's not causing me any problems..might as well have straight bottom teeth.
Lucky. My orthodontist didn't do that kind. By the time I realized my uppers were separating, it was too late.
I do have a retainer that I wear pretty much every night, so my teeth shouldn't shift if I don't have them removed (I hope).
Does anyone know how you would know if they are impacted?
Yes, keep wearing your retainer at night!
I think if they're impacted you'd know due to OUCHIES, but I don't know really because mine never got that bad. Sorry I can't help more. All I learned form this whole orthodontia/tooth debacle is to WEAR MY RETAINERS.
With my experience, do NOT get them out if you don't have to! I got mine taken out right before I graduated college last spring because I wasn't quite sure what my benefit package was going to be for my job and as a student I was still under my parents' insurance, so it was more of an insurance in case my company didn't offer dental insurance. ANYWAYS, I got all four taken out at the same time. The dentist looked at the x-rays then my mouth and said they were rather routine extractions and wouldn't take long. It took over an hour and the didn't even knock me out! All they used was novocaine and it kept wearing off during the procedure! Afterwords the dentist apologized and assured me if he knew to begin with they would be so difficult to remove he would have used something other than novocaine.
I'm sure my case is an outlier and doesn't happen often, but it was a really really terrible experience. So if you don't have to get them out I don't recommend it...
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