Do wisdom teeth really need to come out, or is my dentist trying to hustle me?
How were you referred to this dentist? This dentist could be a high pressure sales guy. Or he could be a good dentist who worried about the conditions in your mouth after 2 decades without dental care. Get a second opinion. Now my stance on wisdom teeth has always been that I wouldn’t have them out If that’s your stance, then it really doesn’t matter if he’s a competent dentist. A second opinion is a waste of time, if you’ve already decided.
My dentist told me the story of an 90-or-so year old patient of his, who got infected lower wisdom teeth in her 90s and suffered excruciating pain. Problem: because her bones in general were so brittle, oral surgeons she was referred to wouldn’t pull them, because they said they’d end up shattering her jaw in the attempt. Result: living out her final years with a constant, horrible toothache. That’s only one anecdote, although it is apparently first-person from a professional, who doesn’t pull teeth himself (so probably doesn’t have a direct financial interest in the procedure).
