Why does my dentist keep telling me to remove my wisdom teeth when I’ve had no problem for decades?
This is a matter of Medical Ethics and deeper understanding is needed. Where there is no existing pain or discomfort a medical practitioner can decide to recommend a treatment. A practitioner should uphold the essential law of medicine: First do no harm. From my perspective where there is an absence of disease there may be no need for treatment. I say “may be” wherefore there exist exceptions linked to genetics and family history or other knowledge of likely future suffering. The treatment would then be given to avoid future suffering.I recommend asking your dentist what is the basis for her/his recommendation. Is there clinical data supporting teeth rotting within the gums later in life which could require an intolerable operation in older age? Perhaps teeth that are impacted and/or below the gum (benign) may be potential cause of a heart condition, for example? Your dentist should present some valid reason to explain to you. The meaning of the word doctor is to teach. Your dentist should therefor be able to teach you through informing why this is a good recommendation. You may agree, disagree, or defer treatment for further research or get a second opinion.You may find this article of interest by the Weston Price Foundation for Dental Information: Dental Cavitation Surgery - The Weston A. Price Foundation
Can all dentists extract wisdom teeth? (no oral surgeon?)?
Based on what we teach in North American dental schools and the clinical experience they get, new grads should only extract uncomplicated, fully erupted wisdom teeth. They just do not get enough experience in this area.Years ago, dental students did get a reasonable amount of experience and were competent upon graduation to remove wisdom teeth including impactions. But that was a long time ago.When I graduated in 1989, not one of us had received enough surgical experience to competently surgically remove impacted wisdom teeth.After graduating, I did a general practice residency where I spent a year learning surgical skills and performed 100’s of cases of wisdom tooth removal.So all dentists should be able to remove a fully erupted wisdom tooth.Some dentists can remove all types of wisdom teeth from fully erupted to fully impacted.Given that most people have partially or fully impacted wisdom teeth, most dentists should should refer these cases to an oral surgeon.
What is your opinion on choosing a dentist vs oral surgeon in my area for a complex extraction?
Considering your complex dental problem I would advice you to go to Oral surgeon. An oral surgeon is an specialist in surgeries of face and mouth and has more knowledge and experience in handling complex cases and since you are having osteoporosis (limited jaw opening and nerve pain may be due to those cracked wisdom tooth but I can't say confirmed without thorough examination), being a dentist myself I would advice you to go to specialist in this case (that's assuming the surgeon is good, their are some who don't know much). Also, their are variety of extractions and wisdom tooth removal procedures and their are n number of complexities and problem associated with them, a dentist may have done 100's of extractions in his clinic but their are possibility that he may have done easy ones or did not handled complicated ones whereas an oral surgeon would have done 100's of extraction while studying for his PG and would have had much experience in complex procedures and handling emergency if any. These procedures may be done by a general dentist also (assuming he has a good practice) but given choice I would prefer qualificaiton with experience instead of only experience and since you don't have cost restriction I would suggest going to oral surgeon.
Would it be safe to get a wisdom teeth pulled at a dental school?
It depends on how easy they are. Some uppers can be so easy it takes less than 15 sec, literally. On the other hand I have spent an hour struggling to get some out. (I pretty much know before starting which is which and let the patient know in advance.). As a student at my school no undergraduates took out wisdom teeth unless they were fully erupted and not impacted so they could be treated as removing any tooth. In that case most students with resonable supervision by instructor can get the tooth removed with not much difficulty. If it was impacted the patient went to the surgery residents who are already fully trained licensed dentists and are now specializing in surgery. Again you place your trust in the instructor who will be there to get the resident out of any difficulty. All of this is true in any medical/dental situation. It matters not whether you are having your gallbladder or appendix or spleen or wisdom tooth removed. We all had to learn on someone. The students will almost certainly take more time which can translate into more swelling and pain afterwards. You balance this against less cost and convenience. So yes it should be safe wihtin the above parameters.
Should I get my wisdom teeth out if they are not bothering me?
It depends. Although they may not be bothering you now, there are several reasons to have them removed before an actual problem crops up. Here is what you must consider with your doctor before you decide on what to do about your wisdom teeth:Are they currently causing soft tissue irritation or have a cavity? It may not bother you now, but it can become a problem later on.Can you effectively keep them clean? Lack of complete eruption of the teeth into the mouth can create pockets of tissue that collect bacteria around your wisdom teeth. Also their location in the back of your mouth can make them difficult to clean. It is very important that you are able to fully clean your wisdom teeth (and the rest of your teeth) because infections involving wisdom teeth are a leading cause of multi-space infections that spread to areas around your head and neck.Are they in proper occlusion and is there room for them? Due to their location and the age at which they grow into the mouth, often times there is not enough room for wisdom teeth in the mouth and they may grow into place where they are interfering with the normal function of your jaws. This interference can create pain in the TMJ (the joint of your jaws) down the road.Is there an opposing tooth contacting your wisdom teeth when you bite down? Not everyone has all 4 of their wisdom teeth. Many times wisdom teeth grow into the mouth without a tooth in the opposite dental arch to come in contact with during biting. This may not seem like a problem; however, without that feedback a tooth can supererupt (grow higher than surrounding teeth) and cause occlusal interferences, and rub against soft tissue causing irritation.Is it impacted? Depending on the type and severity of impaction, this can create soft tissue pockets as before and also push on the roots of your other good teeth causing resorption (the root disintegrates). A lot of times impacted teeth can just be left alone, but it really depends on what the impacted tooth is doing.Everyone can identify a problem when there are active symptoms. However, if there are signs that a major problem is coming down the road, why wait? Another reason to decide sooner rather than later, is that the bone around your teeth will mature with age and can make wisdom teeth more difficult to remove as you get older.
Does TriCare Prime cover dental, such as removing wisdom teeth, for spouses?
United Concordia is the dependent dental plan. It covers a portion of having wisdom teeth removed. It covers local anesthetic, but not general. I had my wisdom teeth out a few months ago and it cost me $400 after United Concordia. Make sure you go to a dentist that takes United Concordia and they submit the proper pre-approval paperwork.
How does a person know whether they need to have their wisdom teeth pulled or they are being scammed by the dentist?
it is best that you know a little basics of what a wisdom tooth is and how it affects your oral health. Here is a video which shows the complications of wisdom tooth.Also you can subscribe to this channel on youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/...They keep posting some updates in medical and dental fields. You can keep yourself updated and avoid being scammed like that since you would have a little knowledge on that topic.Hope this helps
What can I do when one dentist advises extraction of all four wisdom teeth while another is against it?
Get a third opinion! Well although it is difficult to answer this question without seeing you clinically, and knowing the reasons why extraction was advised in the first place, here are some things to consider in helping you make an informed choiceAre the wisdom tooth completely erupted or partially erupted?? If your answer is completely erupted , and asymptomatic or non carious, then probably they can be left alone. If partially erupted and painful, then they may warrant removal (then again all four cannot become symptomatic simultaneously)Are the teeth causing pain, repeated gum/facial swellings/pus discharge from gums? If yes, they may require removal.Well erupted wisdom teeth/ third molars that are asymptomatic (not painful) can be retained to serve as abutments (anchor teeth) in future if a fixed tooth prosthesis is required.Fully erupted wisdom teeth often do not cause any problems in the mouth.Finally, take a third opinion and then make a decision keeping all the pro s and cons of your situation.
I have my wisdom teeth, but they haven't grown out yet. Can I get them removed before they grow out?
Yes, they can remove them before they come out. Your dentist will have to make that decision. They look at X-rays and can see the wisdom teeth under your gums. They look to see if t hey are growing crooked at all, or if they will cause overcrowding. You can't tell just by knowing if you have a small mouth. They will numb your gums around the area, and actually cut them out. They did it to me, because they could see that I was going to have to have them out anyway. Some dentists actually prefer to cut them out before they show. This is because they are smaller earlier on, and easier to take out. When the wisdom teeth are full grown, they actually have to shatter the tooth, and then take out each piece.
Is wisdom teeth extraction necessary?
I'm in my early 20s and my wisdom teeth are impacted, too. The oral surgeon wanted to remove them 3 years ago, but I didn't like the doc. or the price he was quoting, so I left them in. In the last three years, they have not caused a single problem for me and they have not moved my other teeth around. Today I saw a dentist that I really felt comfortable with, which is a first for me when it comes to dentistry, and I asked him if my wisdom teeth needed to be removed. You won't believe what he told me: NO. He said they were impacted, but they were fine since they weren't moving around or causing me problems. He said so long as they keeping checking on them every year with regular check ups to make sure they don't cause any problems, then they can stay in. I knew right then and there that I could trust that dentist completely because it became clear to me that he actually really cares about his patients and not just the money. Granted, I am aware of the problems they can cause in the future, but I know now my dentist is watching over me and my teeth, and sparing me the pain and trouble of having my wisdom teeth removed until it becomes absolutely necessary to do so. I will never see another dentist again! On that note, I think you should get a second opinion or at least look for a surgeon who doesn't always remove wisdom teeth by asking around. I've also included some very interesting links to articles that you should definitely read, particularly the first two, about how research is starting to uncover the truth that most wisdom teeth simply DO NOT need to be removed, i.e. the procedure is not only dangerous because it is major surgery in the end but also completely unnecessary if they are not causing pain, other medical problems, or moving. Again, my advice is read the first two articles and then get a second opinion. Good luck!