Do wisdom teeth really need to come out, or is my dentist trying to hustle me?
Just FWIW, there is one downside to waiting until there’s trouble to have your wisdom teeth removed. Nerve damage. As you age, the roots grow longer, and eventually can (and often do) grow so long that they’re in the nerve in your lower jaw or reach all the way to the nasal cavity (which is good for an infection when they remove a tooth) My SO had her wisdom teeth out at 26. One of the lower ones managed to bruise a nerve on the way out and it’s never healed. If she touches her jaw in the right (wrong?) way, she still gets a pins and needles sensation. She describes it as rather unpleasant, but luckily not easily triggered accidentally. Now, if they’re already so long nerve damage a possibility, there’s not really any reason to do it before you feel like it (or ever). FWIW, I also had mine out late and had no problems at all, so it’s not as if it will happen, but it’s something to be aware of.
Just thought I’d post an update for anyone in future reading this post 🙂 I had my dental work done this week – on Monday I had the 3 cavities on the left filled, and on Tuesday 2 cavities and the wisdom tooth on the right removed. It certainly wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t painful, and only took 1.5 hours per visit. The worst bit was the initial needle. The only pain I’ve had now it’s over is a bad headache (probably a reaction to the local anesthetic) and a bit of an ache where my wisdom tooth was. I’m just taking panadol and nurofen as needed. The cavities were quite severe, to the point where the dentist wasn’t sure if some of the teeth would need to be pulled rather than filled until he’d seen the extent of the damage. Thankfully all but one could be filled. So all up it was uncomfortable but not so much that it wasn’t worth doing.
If you do decide to get the teeth taken out, don’t let a dentist do it. Go to an oral surgeon. That’s what they do — oral surgery. That’s why they call them oral surgeons. See the logic there? Wisdom teeth are not in the ideal location for removal by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing and they often grow in at any or all different angles. I had a dentist hacking and sawing away at me — literally for hours — and he still didn’t get the whole thing, there was a piece of the root left. Which I had to get removed by (drum roll) an oral surgeon. The whole thing was a nightmare. No need to let some mope who you don’t trust anyway into your mouth with knives and drills; go to someone who will knock your ass out and hack those beauties out of your head while you’re out of it.
If you got a skeevy vibe, then by all means try another dentist. But I’d urge to find someone you are comfortable with and make them your regular dentist for periodic cleanings and checkups. Part of the problem of not having a regular dentist is this scenario. You’ve got no long-term history or professional relationship with this guy (or anyone), so he’s taking the most alarmist approach. Someone who had known all along that your wisdom teeth weren’t bothering you would possibly be more inclined to a wait-and-see approach.
