Wisdom Teeth

[Son of Butch]

It was reported in a local TV news story here in Minnesota last night...
The American Dental Association guidelines recommend removing wisdom teeth only if and when they cause problems.
The ADA study determined only 12% of the wisdom teeth removed per year fall within their recommended guidelines.
The ADA deemed 88% of the surgeries to remove wisdom teeth as unnecessary surgery.

Then why has this been happening?
According to the ADA's own study the answer was economics.
The study estimated that if oral surgeons followed guidelines and only did necessary surgery their income would fall
60% per year. Oral surgeons #1 excuse for not following ADA guidelines was that they were heading off future problems,
but in reality the study found oral surgery outside of the guidelines created more long term problems not less.

They likened having wisdom teeth removed just in case... to a doctor removing an appendix just in case.

 

[boondocks]

Good info, Butch, thanks! I keep being told to have one of mine out "just in case"--that it'll cause problems "later." Been 20 years I've told them "No". This will strengthen my spine to keep telling them no. (That and the fact that I'm chicken s_t).

 

[wbvs58]

In Australia dentists are very high pressure sell With the advent of fluoride and fewer holes to fill they moved to high pressure selling to keep themselves living in the manner to which they were accustomed plus a bit more.

Ken

 

[Rafter S]

I've also had a few dentists recommend I get my 3 remaining ones taken out. I always reply "As long as they don't bother me, I won't bother them."

 

[slick4591]

I only had one and it got so bad I was ready to take a hatchet to it.

 

[cow pollinater]

At 35 I finally got my first cavity and went to my kids' dentist to get drilled on. He made me an appointment to pull my wisdom teeth and told me all about the horrible things that would happen if they didn't come out that week. I never went back and so far I can't even tell they're there.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Had mine out, but at least 2 were causing problems. Sure felt better after they were gone. Other two? But I'd rather have gone under the anesthesia and knife just once.

My wife chipped her front incisors several years ago. Dentists have built them up a dozen times. They tell her that it won't work forever doing that. But to get veneers or whatever, they want her to get braces first (which she legitimately needs for one tooth) but they want to remove her wisdom teeth before braces so there isn't a shift later. All told it is about what I paid for our last car.....

I feel sorry for her when she chips it off and has to go around with about half a tooth until they can get her in, but I'm not sure if I feel that sorry for her.

 

[herofan]

I've wondered about he wisdom teeth thing myself. I finally had one pulled a couple of years ago at age 46 because it had a cavity, but the other three are fine, and my dentist doesn't stress having them out unless they bother me. I know some young people that have them cut out before they even emerge "just in case."

I wonder what people did in the old days before this became a common practice, and when a trip to the dentist was ten times worse than it is today? Was everyone experiencing wisdom teeth issues?

 

[Brute 23]

I just had all mine pulled last year. 2 were jacked up and side ways when my dentist did the xray. One started bothering me. She sent me to a guy who does that all the time. He told me flat out, 2 of these have to come out. One of the others will most likely give you problems at some point in your life. No clue when. The other may not ever give you a problem. He said it was my choice. We could do as few as 2 or all 4. He would do what ever I wanted. He suggested all 4 because he said its a lot easier to do the whole process at once... one recovery. It was funny, he said to be honest those two bad ones are going to hurt so bad you won't notice I took the other 2 out. LOL He said your young, have the time off from work, ect... its a good time. It won't be near as much fun when you 50+ neck deep in work, family, ect.

The actual cost was a couple hundred dollars extra for all 4.

It made sense to me and I had all 4 taken out. I felt like the guy was real honest and his logic made sense to me.

It is definitely worth shopping dentists. Growing up we went to a local dentist where my aunt worked. She did my teeth for the first 10 years of my life. I was always getting heat from my parents for cavities. My aunt would check my teeth and say they looked good. Dentist would come in, you have a cavity. She started telling my mom that we could refuse to have the work done. Its not a must. There is a lot of grey area on what is or isn't a cavity. My aunt knew that we did not have the money for this stuff so she was getting upset with this dentist for pushing the envelope on what was a cavity. She ended up referring us to another dentist in a town close by and she starting working for some one else also. As soon as I went to the new dentist the cavities stopped. Haven't had one in 20 years. The original dentist lived 2 houses down from us.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Dentist gave me a referral to a surgeon to have mine cut out. I through it in the trash can as I walked out the door.

 

[Brute 23]

There is some thing to it. They can show you the xrays. When you see a tooth sitting side ways in your mouth it needs to come out.

After they pulled mine I could tell the difference. Definitely felt like a pressure had been relieved from my mouth.

 

[TexasBred]

There is some thing to it. They can show you the xrays. When you see a tooth sitting side ways in your mouth it needs to come out.

After they pulled mine I could tell the difference. Definitely felt like a pressure had been relieved from my mouth.

Mine were the same way....laying on their sides and they would break through the gums then recede back into the gums. Getting them all removed by an oral surgeon stopped all that business.