All 4 wisdom teeth?

scubachick2287
scubachick2287 Posts: 57
edited 11:17AM in Chit-Chat
I went to the dentist this week and she reccomended (like every other dentist I have seen since I was 16) that I have all 4 wisdom teeth removed. I'm not totally convinced. I did agree that my bottom 2 teeth need to be removed because one is half way through (for the last 2 years) and the other just started coming through. BUT my top 2 wisdom teeth came in fine, no issues or over crowding and certainly no cavities. Why do I need to have 2 perfectly healthy teeth surgically removed? I have no problems cleaning around them. I have excellent hygiene, never a cavity. The dentist couldn't give me a solid reason. I asked my MD and he said other than monetary gain he didn't know why they would insist on removing them.

So my question is..Have you had only 2 wisdom teeth removed and regretted it? Can anyone think of a reason I should torture myself and have all 4 removed?

Thanks in advance.
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Replies

  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I recommend you do what the experts say by default. If you do your research and find that there are sound reasons not to remove them, so be it, but why would you accept the opinions of a bunch of uneducated strangers on a weight loss forum over your dentist?
  • TaintedVampyre
    TaintedVampyre Posts: 1,428 Member
    Get it all done at once is like killing two birds with one stone. Get it done and over with a never have to worry about it again. There's always that chance that you perfect teeth won't be so perfect once all 4 start pushing through. However, if they aren't bothering you, why bother going through the surgery?
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
    I have all four of mine completely grown in... gonna keep them... no need to pay $1000+ to have them pulled. HAHA
  • MotorCityFemmeFatale
    MotorCityFemmeFatale Posts: 222 Member
    I have all 4 of mine. They wanted them removed of course.
  • rungirl1973
    rungirl1973 Posts: 2,559 Member
    I never had my wisdom teeth removed, I have all of mine. Never has caused me a problem (I'm 38).

    My daughter's dentist says she should have hers removed, and I probably will.
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
    DO IT. I am 24 and never had my wisdom teeth removed, I have been SUFFERING for the past week because of one. It is so hard to clean them thoroughly. I have to brush my teeth 4 times a day because if anything gets stuck it HURTS. not to mention they pushed all of my teeth closer together so its impossible to floss correctly and looks not good. do it now before you have to do it when you're writhing in pain like me.
  • Mhaney
    Mhaney Posts: 467 Member
    I had all 4 removed at one time and it really wasn't that bad. I know everyone's experience is different, I had an excellent doctor that tried to work around what my insurance would and would not cover as far as putting me out during the procedure. He had to because of my gag reflex but insurance said if that were the case then I needed to see an actual surgeon. My doc gave me 3 pills to take in his office and I was out like a light 20 minutes later. Woke up after the procedure and was sent home, recovery was a piece of cake.
  • Princess_Sameen
    Princess_Sameen Posts: 284 Member
    I went to my dentist only two days ago all mine are through he said to keep them and not remove any if they are fully through! Will cause more problems than anything
  • BrightEyesx3
    BrightEyesx3 Posts: 335
    I had all my 4 taken out, and it wasn't actually that bad. I had to get them because I was having jaw pain and my teeth were getting all squished and crooked because I didn't have enough room in my mouth. I had them taken out on Good Friday and was eating like normal on Easter Sunday. I was swollen up like a chipmunk for not even two days. I had a great surgeon. But remember everyone as different reactions to the surgery. If you feel comfortable with just taking those 2 out then go for it. But you have to remember if you eventually need to get the other 2 removed you're going to have to be under anesthesia twice.
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,046 Member
    Im 32........annnd my dentist has been telling me to have the BOTTOM 2 removed FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS HAHAHAH. Of course I have resisted and now I have a cavity in one of them. They are like halfway out or less duss how I got a cavity. Its bothersome at times and food gets trapped in there all the time!
    I have given in and will have them removed in 2 weeks...hahhahahah
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Here's the other thing. Do you know what tomorrow will bring? Do you know that should you have issues later that you'll have whatever health insurance you have today? Why don't you ask your dentist what the consequences could be should you leave them in place for now? Also, check out the cost of removing them should you suddenly lack insurance.
  • bloodbank
    bloodbank Posts: 468 Member
    I had all 4 of mine removed (totally easy, even with 2 impacted - had a great oral surgeon and didn't even have any bruising or facial swelling... definitely not 'torture'!) and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to as they caused me some trouble... but if only 2 of yours bother you and your dentist can't give you an actual reason why they should all come out, why do all 4?
  • scubachick2287
    scubachick2287 Posts: 57
    I recommend you do what the experts say by default. If you do your research and find that there are sound reasons not to remove them, so be it, but why would you accept the opinions of a bunch of uneducated strangers on a weight loss forum over your dentist?

    Well considering the dentist couldn't give me ONE valid reason to remove the top 2, neither could the oral surgeon or MD I'm thinking I will keep them. Dentists typically tell everyone to have all 4 removed. I was curious to know if anyone had made the decision to only remove the teeth that were bothering them. Btw I am a nurse and I don't accept opinions as gospel, just looking for experiences.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    I only had 3 wisdom teeth. I had all three removed when I was 20. I drank too soon and got dry sockets but no bruising or swelling. My older brother waited until he was 25 and they started coming in. He could only open his mouth about half an inch. My husband has all 4 of his, they have all come in, and a dentist and an orthodontist both say he needs to have 6 teeth removed (and 2 years of braces) to relieve severe crowding (and one tooth cracked because of the pressure). He would have had to have 4 removed if he'd gotten them done when he was a kid. I would listen to the doctor. Taking 4 out is only a little worse than 2 (the bottom ones are worse), but getting 4 out at once is definitely better than having 2 out, waiting a few years and having to take another one or two because of problems.
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,450 Member
    Im kind of like you. my top two came in fine and settled in perfectly. My bottom two both partially came in. Those I had removed. No one cared that I elected to keep my top two. However.... I recently had a cavity in my top right one. Im telling you.... that crap HURT and I have a high threshold for pain. I had to be renumbed. and its sensitive even now to cold and heat. My dentist said the nerves run differently on them and it was normal to have sensitivity. I kind of kicked myself at not getting them removed after all that.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i had all 4 removed at once. never regretted it.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    i had all 4 removed at once. never regretted it.

    Same here. It was nice to not worry about them anymore, and I've never noticed a problem.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I recommend you do what the experts say by default. If you do your research and find that there are sound reasons not to remove them, so be it, but why would you accept the opinions of a bunch of uneducated strangers on a weight loss forum over your dentist?

    Well considering the dentist couldn't give me ONE valid reason to remove the top 2, neither could the oral surgeon or MD I'm thinking I will keep them. Dentists typically tell everyone to have all 4 removed. I was curious to know if anyone had made the decision to only remove the teeth that were bothering them. Btw I am a nurse and I don't accept opinions as gospel, just looking for experiences.

    :) You sound like you're perfectly capable of making your own informed decision, then.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i had all 4 removed at once. never regretted it.

    Same here. It was nice to not worry about them anymore, and I've never noticed a problem.

    and apparently it increased your chances of pregnancy! :)
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    i had all 4 removed at once. never regretted it.

    Same here. It was nice to not worry about them anymore, and I've never noticed a problem.

    and apparently it increased your chances of pregnancy! :)

    LOL! Clearly! :wink:
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i had all 4 removed at once. never regretted it.

    Same here. It was nice to not worry about them anymore, and I've never noticed a problem.

    and apparently it increased your chances of pregnancy! :)

    LOL! Clearly! :wink:

    :laugh:
  • QuestForFitness
    QuestForFitness Posts: 74
    I dunno, man. All 4 of mine were impacted so they were miserable. But I do know my cousins had 2 removed and they've been fine. But I'd be careful going against recommendation
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
    I had all four of mine taken out when I was 16. It's no biggie...I even worked a 12 hour shift at my job at Shopko the next day (the gal who was supposed to relieve me called in sick cause she had two of hers taken out the previous day...imagine the crap the managers gave her for being a wuss when I volunteered to take her shift). I looked like a chipmunk by the end of the day, and took a pain pill that night to sleep, but within a few days I was 100 percent completely normal (well, as normal as I get anyway)
  • Jen32285
    Jen32285 Posts: 281 Member
    I have 1 on top that has come through. My 2 bottom ones are sideways. My dentist won't touch the bottoms because she said it would do more harm to my mouth to try to remove them right now. She said she will leave the tops ones since I haven't had any issues with them.
  • mznisaelaine
    mznisaelaine Posts: 2,262 Member
    I had all 4 surgically removed when I was like 14 or 15.... Saw the x-rays (they had not grown out yet). I am so glad they removed it. Those teeth would have messed up my other teeth. And I had braces!!!
  • NurseCarolyn2014
    NurseCarolyn2014 Posts: 142
    My dentist told me (he even showed me articles) that over crowding doesn't cause crooked teeth. Then my teeth started going crooked........I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed and haven't had a problem since.
    Maybe it's really individual....
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    Honestly, I'd want it all done at once, with a nice supply of pain meds than to spread it out. But that's just me.
  • kooky_kiz
    kooky_kiz Posts: 22 Member
    I had all for removed at 22 because they were causing me a mountain load of pain, I had them taken out under a local anasetic. firsth the top two, then one bottom one a week later and the last one a week after that. NO REGRETS.
  • KarenReichel
    KarenReichel Posts: 41
    What good would keeping the top two be if you took out the bottom two. The top two wouldn't be of any use since they wouldn't have anything working with then in chewing. I would say take all four out or leave all four in.
  • ForMe31217
    ForMe31217 Posts: 42
    I had all 4 wisdom teetch pulled the summer before my 9th grade. only two broke the skin and the other two they said will break skin one day but better just to get them all out at once since they were visible in the xrays. Better safe then sorry
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