Wisdom teeth extraction?

[Dhistress]

Hi guys,
i've never had to have any kind of surgery prior to this. My regular dentist referred me to an oral surgeon who ultimately decided I need all four of my wisdom teeth removed. He also decided to do this all at once and scheduled me in for a few months from now.

I'm scared to death. They informed me that my bottom wisdom teeth are basically impacted but also sit directly on my nerve. Then they begin talking about the possibility of numbness in my lips, tongue, etc. This sounds so awful! My wisdom teeth do not cause me any pain or discomfort and although the dentist wants me to get them out, I'm not so sure anymore.

Is it typical for dentists to remove FOUR wisdom teeth in one appointment? Will they have to break away pieces of my jaw to remove the teeth? And what is the likelihood that I will suffer from nerve damage? I know I can't get any solid answers without my x-rays but any answer will help!

Would it be a better idea for me to continue with my wisdom teeth in my mouth? I'm a 21 year old female if that makes a difference. I don't know what I would do if I had to suffer with permanent nerve damage for the rest of my life.

 

[Ilovemydentistreally]

Dhistess, hi. Can't answer but couldn't ignore... You've just went full red alert and I'm sure there's no need. I don't think 4 wisdoms at the same time is uncommon. It makes sense really. Why do it on 4 separate visits? 4 times the anxiety surely.
Hopefully a dentist on here gets to your questions soon. But I suggest you may be underestimating the ease of the procedure. The potential for nerve damage may well be only a minimum risk and not very likely but they are duty-bound to inform you anyway?
Sounds like maybe they gave you a lot of info which, not having time to digest, you didn't get to ask about your current fears? I feel sure that teeth can be removed without breaking pieces of your jaw though. Yikes! Shuddering at the thought myself now..
Please wait for someone more educated than me to answer and, meanwhile, try to avoid such thoughts. Wisdom tooth extraction is not normally that big a deal. Do your best not to worry until you get more info.
Best wishes..

 

[BoxerMom]

Not a dentist, and I had my wisdom teeth removed so long ago I don’t even remember. Oh wait. It’s coming back to me now. Ugh. Anyway, it seems that having all four removed at once is the most sensible route - less healing time than doing one or two at a time, less stressful, less time off for recovery. Your dental team can answer all your questions, which are very valid. As ilovemydentist said, hopefully a kind dentist on here can answer why they should (or not) be removed if they’re not currently causing any issues.

 

[Enarete]

Hi Dhistress,

getting wisdom teeth out is not only about whether they are causing you issues right now, but more about how will they most likely behave in the future (teeth move and shift during our lives so there will be a tendency) and are they causing a damage already without you being aware of it (teeth can be damaged without hurting). Your surgeon should be able to show you on the x-ray and explain to you what the issue is.
Nerve damage is rare but it is a potential risk for the most lower impacted wisdom teeth, sitting on the nerves is what they usually do and it is the job of your surgeon to find out how to get them out without complications. There are scans for that and if the risk is too high, there are procedures to avoid it. By the way, your dentist is legally obligued to inform you about the possibility of the nerve damage, it is on their list of possible risks/complications of a procedure.
As BoxerMom and Ilovemydentistreally mentioned, all 4 at once is how it‘s usually done if all 4 need to be removed. It might sound like a huge deal to you, but it is what the most people go through in their lives. The younger you are the easier the procedure and the healing is.
Would it be an idea to post your x-rays here if you have them?

All the best wishes