Posted on 04/15/2008 1:05:08 PM PDT by edcoil
My wife tells me the dentist wants our 16 year old daughter in for special x-rays for her wisdom teeth to see if they are coming in properly - don't know why this cannot be done during a normal annual.
My wife also tells me it is normal now for teenagers to just have the teeth removed wit or without a problem.
Is this true? Anyone have teens that can help?
Our son had special xrays, wisdom teeth removed, due to crowding/ at orthodontist’s recommendation. At 17 or so.
My husband FINALLY had his (1, I think) taken out at age 50. He had put it off for a long time. THAT I do not recommend; it had grown in bent, ground the other one and caused decay. It came out in pieces, which then got caught in salivary glands and caused further trouble. Infinitesimally small bits, these were.
By all means, if your dentist recommends having them checked/ perhaps having them out, take his advice and check them out, at least. I saw what leaving them in caused — huge problems. My husband has good teeth, had orthodonture and dental visits all along, but he put it off.
Just a word from ‘been there.’
I had all 4 impacted teeth removed 25 years ago. I looked like Brando in the Godfather for at least 2 weeks.
Painful as hell.
*Sometimes I will get a little bit of Copenhagen that will migrate into the void where the wisdom tooth used to be.
My wife also tells me it is normal now for teenagers to just have the teeth removed wit or without a problem.
I had perfect teeth until my wisdom teeth came in crooked and messed things up so bad I have a hard time flossing. If I had it to do over again, I'd say pull them at the slightest indication that they may cause a problem.
Common to have them yanked in late teenage years to avoid ruining the thousands spent for braces in the early teenage years.
I went to an oral surgeon who stated in no uncertain terms that they were coming in fine and should cause me no worries.
The oral surgeon was right. Still have them at 50.
Get a second opinion from an oral surgeon.
Both of my children have had their wisdom teeth out. My son had his out in high school and my daughter had hers out during her third year in college. And yes, they had to have more than just the yearly xrays to determine if they needed to come out or not
They both have rather small mouths (in size not in loudness!) and the top wisdom teeth were coming in a bit slanted and would overcrowd their other teeth. This would have cause their front teeth to get pushed around some (and I had already paid for braces some years ago!)
They both opted to have all four removed at once to save time, cost, and later pain. I had all four of mine removed when I was in my mid twenties with a baby. That was no fun at all! My husband got to bond with the baby a little more as the little one was scared of my swollen face! (not so great for my ego!)
Hope this helps some :-)
Same here. I never knew when they came in. I asked the dental hygenist if there was any sign of mine coming in, and she said "You have all four of your wisdom teeth". I still have mine, and the daughter does too. Wife unit had to have all four cut out about two years after we married.
Mine was not causing any problems in 1989, and yet the US Navy removed them. Of course, after removing the right two wisdom teeth, I got ANUG (trench mouth), which prevented me from eating for a few days. Also, drinking room temperature water hurt link the dickens. I have always been a non-smoker, so it’s 100% I got it from the wisdom teeth surgery. Yuck!
(http://www.dentalfind.com/glossary/anug_acute_necrotizing_ulcerative_gingivitis.html)
Dentists have boat payments to make.
Mine came in with no problems. they didn’t make me any wiser though.
Read the link and you will be better informed.
Most insurance only covers two exams per year, so don’t bring your child in just to have the wisdom teeth examined, unless there is a problem. Your dentist sounds desperate for business.
In general having wisdom teeth removed before they cause trouble isn’t a bad idea. But this would normally be discussed at a regular semi-annual examination. In our case our children’s dentist did bring it up, and we then went to a surgical specialist to have the teeth removed.
“I’ve had scores of high schoolers absent for wisdom teeth extraction.”
Johnny, I know oral hygiene is important, but this is the fifth wisdom tooth you’ve had pulled this year.
;-)
I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out at 31 years old. Never really had any pain, but 2 were growing in sideways and I wanted to have them taken care of before they caused any problems with the other teeth. I heard horror stories about wisdom teeth from other and even the nurse told me I would have problems recovering because of my age. I was out and about the next day and never had a single bit of discomfort (well other than not being able to eat the way I’d like)
I agree, although I'm NOT a dentist... However, I did wind up getting mine out at about age 35, and it was a mistake. Only 2 had completely broken out of my gums, 2 only partially, and because of how badly they were impacted (on the bottom), they were impossible to clean properly, so there was a lot of decay. And it turned out that one of them had actually had its roots grow into my sinus cavity, which left a hole in the roof of my mouth into my sinuses. Blech!
The dentist I went to refused to touch them, insisting that I go to an oral surgeon. He suggested that I be put under (which I accepted), and it took nearly 5 hours to get them out!
Mark
I am a dental hygienist. Often, the dental insurance doesn’t pay for a panoramic x-ray (the one that shows the whole jaw to see the location of wisdom teeth) on the same day that bitewing x-rays are taken.(the small films for detecting cavities.) Don’t ask me why. Insurance companies have stupid rules. If your daughter’s teeth are straight, I’d probably suggest that she has her wisdom teeth (aka 3rd molars) taken out. Females generally have smaller jaws and don’t usually have enough room for them to come in. Another stupid insurance rule...if the wisdom teeth are impacted or haven’t erupted yet, they’ll pay for the anesthesia to get knocked out during the extractions. Once the teeth have come through, they won’t pay for sedation...they expect you to have the extractions with just local anesthetic (”novocaine”) I strongly suggest that you go to an oral surgeon to have wisdom teeth taken out. If your general dentist’s office takes the panoramic x-ray, take it with you to the oral surgeon’s office for the consult. If you don’t have a recent panoramic x-ray, the oral surgeon’s office can take it there. After the consult, they’ll schedule the appointment for the extractions. The oral surgery consult has nothing to do with the “2 exams per year rule” that the insurance companies have. Usually, the general dentist likes to take the panoramic x-ray at their office, because...well, they’re about $90 each for 5 minutes of work.
I started getting MY wisdom teeth at 13. It’s better to get them out sooner than later, before the roots totally form. It makes for an easier extraction. I hope this helps.
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