I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes. My Dentist is trying her best to get me to have my three remaining wisdom teeth removed. They have never give me any problems. She said one has decay in it and just plain needs to be pulled. I am almost 63 and in good health. I do not want to go through the pain and problem of having this done. Like I said they do not give me any problems. She said they were to hard for me to clean. Why could I not just wait until they give problems and then have them pulled. She said if I were on blood thinners then I could not have it done. I cannot take blood thinners anyway because I have had ulcer problems . I tried baby aspirin and it made my stomach burn. Any thoughts on this. Thanks. oldtrig
Wisdom teeth ?
- Thread starter oldtrig
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W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I would be reluctant to do this unless necessary. To find out whether your dentist is being reasonable or not, I would get a second opinion from another dentist. That will cost something but paying that bill would be a lot less painful than having them pulled.
I am 61 and still have 2 wisdom teeth, that never broke through the gums. I had two of the others removed when I was 22, and my fifth wisdom tooth (life is so unfair!
) was removed in my 40's.
I am 61 and still have 2 wisdom teeth, that never broke through the gums. I had two of the others removed when I was 22, and my fifth wisdom tooth (life is so unfair!
) was removed in my 40's.
I still have all 4 of my wisdom teeth (age 55) including a crown on 1 of them. I personally wouldn't want one removed if it wasn't giving me serious problems.
harley
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
DW's uncle died of a heart attack last year at age 62. They are pretty sure it was caused by having a bad tooth, pain and ulceration. But he wouldn't go to a dentist.
Having said that, I would definitely get a second opinion before I did anything. Dentists like to get out of the cold too, and somebody has to pay for that vacation to Costa Rica.
Having said that, I would definitely get a second opinion before I did anything. Dentists like to get out of the cold too, and somebody has to pay for that vacation to Costa Rica.
mews
Recycles dryer sheets
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Get a second opinion, and check (if you can) old xrays vs. newer ones.
If they are just sitting there, well, clean them well and maybe go for cleanings 3 times a year instead of 2.
They may be moving other teeth, or growing in odd directions, but not causing you pain - that would be a reason to get rid of them.
Me, I don't volunteer for needles and pain and suchlike.
ta,
mew
If they are just sitting there, well, clean them well and maybe go for cleanings 3 times a year instead of 2.
They may be moving other teeth, or growing in odd directions, but not causing you pain - that would be a reason to get rid of them.
Me, I don't volunteer for needles and pain and suchlike.
ta,
mew
They are not growing crooked . One does not even have a tooth next to it. I had a tooth removed years ago and that wisdom is sitting there by itself. I will call tomorrow and get another dentist to take a look. The problem is the ex rays. My insurance only pays for the ex-ray once a year and they just done them. I guess they can call and get them from my dentist. I am sure that will cause problems with me getting another opinion. Thanks for the great tips on this. oldtrig
teejayevans
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Ditto, almost every dentist wants to pull them and replace any fillings, its
easy money. Unless you are having problems, find a new dentist.
TJ
Goonie
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
That's what I did!
scrabbler1
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I had only the two upper wisdom teeth grow in. I had no lowers. They caused me no big problems other than small but somewhat frequent fillings but were causing minor problems for the teeth next to them because of small spaces developing between them.
My regular dentist bugged me for years to get them pulled (I was terrified at the thought) and I finally did in 2008 by an oral surgeon, just before my dental coverage ended (I knew by then I was going to retire by the end of 2008 and would lose all dental coverage). My copay was only $10 per tooth and they came out pretty easily with no significant after-effects, just as my dentist predicted.
On the upside, losing these two teeth meant no more fillings needed to be done. Furthermore, it gave my dentist a clearer view of the adjacent teeth and he was able to fix the partly decayed spots previously inaccessible. I have had no further dental work beyond the exam in 2 of the 3 semiannual visits since they got pulled so this will save me money and grief in the years to come. I even joked with my regular dentist that his bugging me to get them pulled was a terrible financial move on his part. A humane and kind man, he told me he is more concerned with the long-term dental health of his patients than with lining his wallet.
My regular dentist bugged me for years to get them pulled (I was terrified at the thought) and I finally did in 2008 by an oral surgeon, just before my dental coverage ended (I knew by then I was going to retire by the end of 2008 and would lose all dental coverage). My copay was only $10 per tooth and they came out pretty easily with no significant after-effects, just as my dentist predicted.
On the upside, losing these two teeth meant no more fillings needed to be done. Furthermore, it gave my dentist a clearer view of the adjacent teeth and he was able to fix the partly decayed spots previously inaccessible. I have had no further dental work beyond the exam in 2 of the 3 semiannual visits since they got pulled so this will save me money and grief in the years to come. I even joked with my regular dentist that his bugging me to get them pulled was a terrible financial move on his part. A humane and kind man, he told me he is more concerned with the long-term dental health of his patients than with lining his wallet.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
OMG, my deep sympathies!! You're right, 8 is even more unfair than 5 (which was completely infuriating).
I would at least have the decay taken care of, if nothing else. As Harley stated, bad teeth can contribute to health problems. My son-in-law is in the Navy and getting ready to have his wisdom teeth removed. The Navy dentists are not lining their pockets. I told my daughter that I thought it was good to have it done while he is in the military, because it was expensive when we had my son's and daughter's wisdom teeth removed.
ProspectiveBum
Full time employment: Posting here.
I had 4 wisdom teeth pulled back in June. They were difficult to clean/floss, and were getting cavities. No significant pain, though they did "ooze" for several days, which was unpleasant. Now that they're out, I'm glad. I have no more gum irritation back there, and flossing the adjacent teeth is a snap now.
My grandfather wore full dentures as long as I can remember. He hated them, and often chose not to wear them. The side effect of that was that no one in the family could understand him when he spoke, so everybody would jst smile at him and nod. No thanks! I'd like to hang onto my teeth as long as possible, so some short-term discomfort seemed like a reasonable trade-off.
My grandfather wore full dentures as long as I can remember. He hated them, and often chose not to wear them. The side effect of that was that no one in the family could understand him when he spoke, so everybody would jst smile at him and nod. No thanks! I'd like to hang onto my teeth as long as possible, so some short-term discomfort seemed like a reasonable trade-off.
CyclingInvestor
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I had my 4 impacted wisdom teeth taken out at USC Dental school (much cheaper) in the 80's. They had students standing around in a circle, and mirrors set up so that everyone (including me) could watch the whole thing. He gave me the novocaine shots, then immediately started whacking away with his hammer and chisel. No pain - it was like watching them work on someone elses mouth.
Dawg52
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Same here, not the 61 though.
My old dentist bugged me for years to have mine removed so I gave in and went to the oral surgeon he recommended. I was in my mid 30's. Well, I go through the ordeal but he only removed 2, stating the others would probably never come in and give me any problems. And he was right. The regular dentist still thought they should have been removed but he finally retired and my new dentist has never said a word about me still having two. Just shows they all don't think alike.If you are not symptomatic and the wisdom teeth are erupted and you are using them, why in the world would it be suggested to subject you to radiation (x-rays), the risk of infection, anesthesia risks, etc.? To make some money?? I would challenge the "professional" to show you a research study indicative of the fact that people in their 60's who are asymptomatic should have wisdom teeth surgically removed.
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