HELP - Dilemma should i remove lower impacted wisdom teeth

[artc]

I recently went to my dentist for a check up and cleaning and he mentioned that I have 2 impacted wisdom teeth in my lower jaw. The dentist did not push me to have them removed but did suggest I go see an oral surgeon to be evaluated.

Went to go see 2 different oral surgeons to get different opinions. Both said one wisdom tooth near nerve and that the tooth is actually sitting on top of the nerve. I am 30 years old so they warned recovery could be long and they warned about nerve damage. One of the oral surgeons actually suggested I leave them alone and just keep the area clean to avoid cavities.

I have attached the panoramic x-ray that was taken. Having hard time making decision because they both said its up to me since the teeth are not giving me any issues or pain at the moment. I would appreciate any advice or recommendations.

Thanks

 

[RichH]

Hi - first, congrats on getting a few opinions. That's a great first step and it sounds like you got some good advice.

I'm not an expert either, but I did have lower impacted wisdom teeth the same as you. Mine were causing an issue as due to their angle and shape, bacteria had collected on top of the impacted teeth like a "pocket" and caused decay to the molars beside them. They were impacted in a way that I was unable to keep the areas clean, so I had to get them removed. I don't think I had the same issue with proximity to the nerve as you do, but there were no issues with extraction or recovery for me.

I should stress that due to my own dental fears at the time, I had not been to a dentist to keep track of these teeth or to have any cleanings. It was only much later, after I'd had the teeth for years, that I decided to deal with them and at that point the damage was done.

Nerve damage is always a concern and if you attend regular cleanings and your dentist can keep an eye on them, I would suggest leaving them alone may be the way to go. Any problems they're causing can usually be caught pretty early on with regular check-ups, at which point you can always address this decision again.

Just my 2 cents