<p>All 4 of mine erupted, straight and in line, no problem. BUT they had very long roots that ended up causing nerve irritation, migraine like headaches, removed them in my 30s and have permanent damage to that now sensitized nerve. I would get them out, and have for my kids.</p>
<p>My kids didn’t get them out until S started having jaw pain. He saw his dentist who filled his cavities & referred him to oral surgeon. The oral surgeon said removing the wisdom teeth MIGHT reduce the jaw pain so S had all 4 pulled. S has a hard time with pain but is pretty good about following orders. He cleaned his mouth faithfully, with listerine. He had no complications & went out-of-country for a prolonged 5-week vacation by himself shortly after the extraction and had a wonderful time.</p>
<p>It was recommended by oral surgeon and BIL dentist that D get her wisdom teeth extracted. D is thinking about doing this after she graduates college this spring at age 22. Everyone in my family has had their wisdom teeth out. H & his sibs all have as well. D will probably use S’s oral surgeon, who comes highly recommended and did a good job on S.</p>
<p>I had to get mine out- all 5 of them (yippie for me-insurance only covered 4) because of spacing issues. My sister got hers out since they were essentially growing in sideways. </p>
<p>I got dry socket in all the holes but it really wasn’t bad. The going in for new dressings every other day sucked but other than that there were no complications.</p>
<p>I was lucky–no wisdom teeth. S has two, and the dentist referred him to an oral surgeon for a consultation. When I called to make the appointment, I was told there was no need for a consultation because extraction was always necessary, so the receptionist just wanted to schedule the surgery. Don’t think so. They’re not causing S any problems, so he’s keeping them.</p>
<p>Congratulations - you are quite highly evolved.</p>
<p>Well D had her appt yesterday- but I could just kick myself.
Because I was so worried about driving her back to school in the snow- I didn’t insist on going back for her consultation.</p>
<p>Of course she didn’t ask the questions I would have asked & she signed release forms without really knowing what they said.</p>
<p>She is scheduled to have three wisdom teeth out- but since one is close to a nerve, she needs to have a CT scan done prior.</p>
<p>I’m quite concerned- about the surgery & about the release form. More so when I saw that a patient died having the same procedure a few years ago.
Washington apparently has high anesthesia( dental) death rates.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Enough-scrutiny-in-dental-deaths-1279293.php[/url]”>http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Enough-scrutiny-in-dental-deaths-1279293.php</a></p>
<p>One other issue is the common use of antibiotics for tooth extractions, even when no unusually high risk of infection exists. Because antibiotics taken orally alter your gut bacteria composition by killing off many species and varieties, they can allow unpleasant varieties to take the place of benign varieties.</p>
<p>[C</a>. Diff and how dentists overuse antibiotics](<a href=“http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/diff-dentists-overuse-antibiotics.html]C”>http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/diff-dentists-overuse-antibiotics.html)</p>
<p>^^^^^^^
Thanks for that link! Particularly loved this:
</p>
<p>Where I disagree with that article is his insistence that dentists are still prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for heart murmurs. The ADA and AHA no longer recommends it (they did for many years), and any dentist (should be every dentist) up on the current recommendations wouldn’t Rx them. However, orthopedists are now telling us patients with joint replacements need them. It’s always a risk:benefit situation and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for a sentinel event by not following the current recommendations.</p>
<p>As far as my own children, I chose the best oral surgeon possible to remove their wisdom teeth and trusted him enough to follow his recommendations.</p>
<p>* I chose the best oral surgeon possible to remove their wisdom teeth and trusted him enough to follow his recommendations.*</p>
<p>But how do you find the best? Board certified? reviews on Yelp? 
From my research- it is difficult especially when so much info is not public.</p>
<p>Ask your general dentist who would they choose to do their own children. ;)</p>
<p>It seems common for oral surgeons to routinely prescribe antibiotics for wisdom tooth removals. However, some studies argue against that, or for using antibiotics only for higher risk situations:</p>
<p>[Evidence-Based</a> Dentistry - No benefit from prophylactic antibiotics in third molar surgery](<a href=“http://www.nature.com/ebd/journal/v6/n1/full/6400307a.html]Evidence-Based”>No benefit from prophylactic antibiotics in third molar surgery | Evidence-Based Dentistry)
[Antibiotic</a> Prophylaxis - American Dental Association - ADA.org](<a href=“http://www.ada.org/2157.aspx]Antibiotic”>http://www.ada.org/2157.aspx)</p>
<p>If the oral surgeon prescribes antibiotics, you may want to ask why.</p>
<p>I have never heard anyone who had wisdom teeth removed mention any regrets about the procedure; I’ve known several who wished they had done it earlier to avoid problems. Wisdom teeth extraction is not exactly major surgery, unlike an appendectomy; it’s relatively easy and painless and saves problems down the road. I remember having it done when I was 16 and it was no big deal;my D had it done at 17 and went back to school the next day. I know people have varied experiences but most seem to have no trouble. Especially if your insurance covers it, I see really no downside to getting it done.</p>
<p>Wisdom teeth extraction is not exactly major surgery, unlike an appendectomy; it’s relatively easy and painless and saves problems down the road.</p>
<p>Especially when close to a nerve, long term or permanent damage can be done- hence my concern.</p>
<p>This is really disturbing:
[Parents</a> Sue After Teen Dies During Wisdom Tooth Surgery - Yahoo! News](<a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/parents-sue-teen-dies-during-wisdom-tooth-surgery-143224302.html]Parents”>http://news.yahoo.com/parents-sue-teen-dies-during-wisdom-tooth-surgery-143224302.html)</p>
<p>I got my 4 wisdom teeth out at the end of last year, and went to a party that night. I did have to take antibiotics, and was not entirely sure why. </p>
<p>No complications, no complaints!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>My D was on the couch for 3 days and not up to doing much for 5. I consider that major. </p>
<p>If your D or S has a job or other obligations, plan on being out for a week, and feel fortunate if it turns out to be less than that.</p>
<p>I had all four of mine out in my early 20’s. No problems - had it done on Friday and was back at work Monday morning. My son had his removed at 16 (doctor said he was alot smarter than I was!) again - all four removed. He spent the afternoon resting and was going strong the next day. </p>
<p>I have heard of a very few people having problems but not many. Be sure to get a good recommendation of an oral surgeon!</p>
<p>I only have two so I am more evolved 
and mine are still in my head. My kids though both got theirs out as college sophomores (one just a couple weeks ago) on the recommendation of their dad who is a general dentist. His main reason for recommending extraction is so they won’t cause problems at a less convenient time, like finals week. My youngest son had a lot of pain with his (he only had 3 for some reason) and it took about a week for him to start feeling normal again. It surprised me because this is my “tough” kid who I have seen sacrifice his body numerous times on the baseball field and come up bleeding. My husband doesn’t recommend the surgery for kids younger than college age but I am hearing about more younger kids getting it done lately.</p>
<p>Having my wisdom teeth out was by far the worst experience I’ve gone through from a physical standpoint. In severe pain for days, uncomfortable for at least a week, and the sockets are still there in the back of my mouth decades later. If there was some alternative, I would jump at that.</p>
<p>I mostly agree with tx5athome (post #2). Here is my experience and insurance tips.</p>
<p>I had braces back in the old days when they took out 4 perm molars to “make room”. My dentist said if wisdoms didn’t bother me, they didn’t bother him. After many years they finally grew in, but for many years the backs of them were still covered. To this day the whole surface on the bottom is exposed, but the gum covers up the whole back. Anyway, I have one bottom tooth right in the front that has moved forward. There is not a mm of room for it to be pushed back. The wisdoms over time shoved the other teeth forward and that tooth is the odd man out. I wish I had gotten them out.</p>
<p>Hubby never had them out either. For some reason the dentist found it hard to fill the cavities he got back there and he let one cavity go so long that that wisdom had to be pulled. After that one got pulled it sort of left the last molar “exposed”. That molar had a large filling in it and I guess the back side of it had been getting support from the wisdom tooth. Once the wisdom tooth was gone, the molar broke a while later. Hopefully kids today have better teeth and won’t “need” their wisdom teeth for support or chewing. My hubby’s experience made me realize I want to keep my wisdom’s because I am already short teeth from the braces…</p>
<p>As to the insurance…I didn’t get a health ins referral. Apparently if you are getting a twilight anasthesia (anything beyond novacaine i guess) it becomes a “medical” procedure. The office had told me a 18 months earlier when I took my son…My hubby took him 6 months before. Nobody reminded me when we finally made the appt. My HMO rejected it and they had the nerve to bill me. Never sent it to my dental insurance, just billed me! Turned out to be around 1300 and the dental covered it. They gave some BS story why they didn’t bill the dental when HMO rejected it. They shouldn’t have touched him without referral in hand! AND they billed me $2500! Too bad they have to take what dental paid…(were they hoping I’d write a check for the 1300?)</p>
<p>S2 had braces, he got his out after senior year HS. S1 didn’t have braces and only has 2 formed on the bottom, they are impacted but he doesn’t want to get them out until they hurt. …He’s 21 so it’s not up to me…S2 had a bad experience. Lots of pain. It would have been easier at age 16. After about 2 weeks he ended up with one infected. Swollen for almost a week. </p>
<p>I suggest just do it, and do it early, and see if health ins will cover it if you don’t have dental. If you don’t have ins to cover it, then seek multiple opinions and keep an eye on it. Unless I’d paid for braces I probably would not pay out of pocket without good cause. Unless I was rich…</p>