My older daughter had her wisdom teeth removed two years ago (at age 19) because evidently they were impacted, but they never bothered her. The theory was that it was easier to remove them at the age of 19 than when she got older, if in fact they started bothering her. I was told that the root sat near the nerve and it was safer to remove them at a younger age - if we waited and had them removed then she ran the risk of permanent numbness because the roots would be fully developed.
Now D2 (age 18) is being told to have her wisdom teeth removed. Two are impacted and sit near the nerve. The roots (?) are not fully developed so it is easier to remove them now, and the risk of numbness is lower. Once again I am being told that if we wait until they bother her (if they ever do), it will be riskier in terms of permanent numbness.
Is it me, or is every college student told to remove the wisdom teeth? Both of my kids have now had CT scans of the jaw at $350 a pop. We got the “discounted” rate because insurance does not cover (the real cost is $650 without the discount).
Any thoughts? Sorry I realize that I am repeating myself but this whole thing is a little confusing to me. Part of me says to wait. I do not remember so many kids having their wisdom teeth removed 30 years ago. The other part of me says to pull them. Two of my friends kids had issues with their wisdom teeth when they were abroad.
Right now she has an appointment to have them removed and I have a call in to my BIL who is a dentist. I have a friend whose daughter’s are impacted but she refuses to do anything until they bother her (if they ever do). I am not sure I agree with that either.
Yep, they all get them removed now, and we all got them removed 30 years ago. Especially if they had braces, the orthodontists want to protect all that hard work.
There occasionally is some discussion in the media about whether it is really necessary, especially if there is a bad outcome that makes the news. However, I can tell you that I have a family member who works for an oral surgeon and says it really is a big deal when an elderly person has to come in for major surgery from an infected wisdom tooth which would have been much easier procedure to recover from at age 19.
I literally don’t know anyone (except a couple of people with plenty of room for them) who hasn’t had them out. My own kids (and me) have no extra room. Our wisdom teeth were clearly impacted - even I could see it on the x-rays.
My husband waited until he was midway through medical school to have his out, and he had a tougher time with it.
Plan ahead. We had to schedule one of my kids’ surgery six months in advance, for the week of winter break when I could nail him down to be home and have no other commitments. He had waited until midway through college, and panicked two weeks before he left for a summer in Malawi when he had pain and felt something in his gums, to see an oral surgeon. And then he had to wait to have the surgery until December because there was no time before he left for Africa.
S2 has dental panic attacks due to a series of childhood dentistry issues. He needed his removed. Took him twice to the oral surgeon, again with major panic attacks. I gave up. At 25, still has them and hasn’t had issues, but completely ruined his years of braces.
I only had 1, it came in fine and stayed until it got a cavity about 10 years later. I was young and fearless. I told the dentist to just pull it and he did.
I’d get them removed when they are young and heal more easily and are under your care. None of my 3 had CT scans of the jaw though.
My D had the panoramic xrays taken by her orthodontist as part of her care, and we are able to provide those for the oral surgeon. We haven’t actually schedule the appointment yet though, it’s hard to find the time!
My 83 year old dad had to have one out this year. It can be a lot more complicated in your 80s than in your teens to have wisdom teeth removed. Which would you prefer?
My 18 year old had all 4 taken out on Monday. My 21 year old goes to the same dentist and he doesn’t think she needs her taken out. So, I trusted that my son really did. My I do agree that it seems to be the thing to do…like braces.
Hi there- I happen to be a dentist- better to have them out before they start hurting- by that time they may have caused damage to the 2nd molar. FYI- 30 years ago generally people had more room in their mouths for wisdom teeth therefore not as many wisdom teeth needed to be extracted. Due to evolution- our mouths are getting smaller but the number of teeth have not caught up…but children are being born without wisdom teeth now- my 17 yr. old only has 3.
We have it scheduled for early January and she will have a week to recover before going back to school. If for some reason she has a problem at school - the dental school and medical center are right there. We were told not to wait until May because the roots may be fully developed and therefore the risk of permanent numbness increases. She does not want to wait until March because she says she will have work to do that week.
Everyone gets them out now. That’s just pretty standard.
I actually had 5 wisdom teeth so I had to have at least those 2 out. At that point, why not all 5? (Oh, and insurance only covered 4… so that was fun.)
FWIW, my wisdom teeth grew in normally 30 years ago and I only experienced a little teething pain. I haven’t had a problem since. Whenever I see a new hygienist, they get bug eyed.
“Did you know. . . ?”
“Actually, yes, but thanks for noticing.”
Nota bene. I had 4 adult teeth removed when I was a kid to make room for orthodontia. So that may have left the required space.
I also have extra cusps (Carabelli cusps) on two of my molars. Wikipedia says its common, but you’d never know it. Dentists get very excited when they look in my mouth.
I also had 4 teeth removed as a kid to make room for ortho, and now I have 4 perfectly fine wisdom teeth. My husband has 2 upper teeth that grew in sideways and the dentist always comments on them and asks if they bother him. They do not. He was born without lowers. It just strikes me as odd that today it seems as though every college student gets them pulled.
Has anybody had CT scans of their jaw to determine the risk for permanent facial numbness? We were told that right now her risk is low, based on this scan. If we wait, it may not be so low.