Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

[mbondi]

Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

recently my 16 yr old daughter went to the dentist for a routine cleaning and was told she should have her wisdom teeth pulled because they don't serve any purpose and may cause trouble down the line. I have never heard of this, I still have 3 of mine and I'm 47! I had one pulled because it was impacted. Could they be thinking it's so her teeth don't move as she gets older, since she had braces and her teeth are beautiful? Is this normal? or should I go to another dentist for a 2nd opinion??

thank you!

 

[mikey]

Re: Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

It is probably because they can be very hard to keep clean and then they could get infected and cause more trouble than having them taken out. I'm almost 17 and myn havent even come in yet nor have I noticed anything about them besides occational discomfort from the place where they will be comeing in.

 

[scaredstiff]

Re: Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

I suppose it could be a case of prevention rather than cure, in case something materialises further down the line but I should imagine only a qualified dentist or someone who has seen your daughter could answer this. If I were you, I'd be inclined to give the dentist a call and ask him the question.

 

[letsconnect]

Re: Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

In the UK, suggesting removal for these reasons would be unusual, whereas in the US, it would be the norm... I think it's due to different guidelines depending on where you are (NICE guidelines in the UK vs. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons guidelines in the US).

Did the dentist say that they were likely to cause trouble (judging from the x-rays etc.)?

 

[mbondi]

Re: Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

According to the dentist, he says take them out because they serve no purpose and could cause trouble down the line. They want me to set up a consult with the dentist who would do the removal. I think it's insane to take out teeth that aren't bothering you, unless the dentist could show me xrays that prove they will end up moving around her straight teeth. Why not remove all kids tonsils when their born so they don't get tonsilitis and they no longer serve a purpose? see what I mean, sounds crazy to me. I'll see what the other dentist has to say.

 

[Zzzdentist]

Re: Why does the dentist want to remove my 16yr olds wisdom teeth when they are fine/not impacted?

In my experience, I would say that about 95% of the people I encounter do not have enough room for their wisdom teeth or run into problems by not removing their wisdom teeth. In a small percentage of people, there is enough room, and the wisdom teeth erupt into the arch just like any other tooth. This may be due to certain genetic traits of larger jaws or smaller teeth to allow that to happen successfully. Tonsils, on the other hand, probably cause problems for less than 2% of the population I would guess.

That being said, your daughters wisdom teeth might be coming in, and it usually is less traumatic to remove problematic wisdom teeth before the roots totally form. Also keep in mind that your daughter only has half of your genetic code so what you experience may not completely apply to her. They usually are removed due to lack of space, impaction potential as well as it's associated problems, and incomplete eruption related issues.