2007-03-19 14:23:22 · 6 answers · asked by cjm 3 in Health ➔ Dental
I'm a dentist.
Let me guess: you recently saw your dentist who recommended having your wisdom teeth extracted. You're afraid of having it done, and want to know whether or not it's "really" necessary.
Well, the answer is that there are no absolutes in medicine. Every form of treatment is based on a comparison of potential risks versus potential benefits. If the potential risks outweigh the potential benefits, then a therapy is not rendered. If the potential benefits outweight the potential risks, then a therapy is rendered.
Reaslistically speaking, the risks of leaving your wisdom teeth in are relatively rare ones, but when they do occur, they tend to be bad. You run the risk of developing infections of the gums, damage to the periodontal tissue of the teeth in front of the wisdom teeth (i.e. your second molars), direct damage to the second molars themselves), odontogenic cysts and tumors associated with wisdom teeth that can grow and require a surgeon to cut out a large section of your jaw bone, and...and. Avoiding these things is the potential benefit of removing your wisdom teeth.
The risks/complications associated with removing them? Nerve injury, damaging the adjacent teeth, bleeding, infection. They're quite rare.
Generally, for most patients under the age of 25, I recommend getting wisdom teeth out. After 25, the procedure tends to become more difficult and the likelihood of complications go up--especially if the teeth are bony impacted.
Let your doctor make the decision for you. He/she studied this in dental school.
2007-03-19 15:55:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the position of the teeth. If they are in the proper position and erupt normally, then there is no negative effect. If they are impacted (do not erupt) then there is a potential for problems, such as jaw and sinus pain, headaches, and overcrowding of teeth. If they are pressing on adjacent teeth, those could be damaged. Best bet is to ge to the dentist and get an exam to determine the situation. All of mine were impacted, had all of them removed at the same time, and it was not bad at all!
2007-03-19 21:41:42 · answer #2 · answered by Jezabel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you see the girl on the link above? I don't think that's really her. And what does that have to do with your question?
I think I really need to have my wisdom teeth pulled but I'm putting it off as long as I can.
2007-03-19 21:34:39 · answer #3 · answered by Gustav 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there's not enough room for your wisdom teeth they can push your other teeth forward and make them crooked.
2007-03-19 21:31:41 · answer #4 · answered by frugernity 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
none at all..mine were removed because there was no room for them and they were impacted
2007-03-19 21:29:26 · answer #5 · answered by charmel5496 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
none if they don't don't start coming in - then they hurt like crazy and can cause overcrowding in your mouth
2007-03-19 21:31:48 · answer #6 · answered by seriously 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋