I am 18 years old and my mother wants me to get my wisdom teeth out. I’ve never had a problem with my teeth and have never even had to have a filling. Two of the wisdom teeth are impacted but are not bothering me. Is it really necessary to have these removed? Technically, I’m an adult now even though I still am in my last year of high school so I’m guessing no one can make me do this. I just want to understand why my mother thinks it is so important. She keeps saying not to wait until it is too late and this way she’s paying for it. But, I’m the one living through it. Why is this a big deal? If I’m being honest, I will have to admit I’m terrified of having to have them out. All of my friends who have to have things like root canals and such say it is absolutely miserable.
Tara
Dear Tara,
Let’s start out with the adult thing. You are not technically an adult. You are an adult. The good news for you is that I’m noticing something really positive in the way you are handling this. What you are not doing is saying, “I’m 18 and you can’t make me.” Instead, you are doing something very wise and asking, “Why is this important?”
First, let me alleviate your fear. When you have your wisdom teeth out, you should be getting dental sedation, usually oral conscious sedation. This is a very strong medicine taken by pill that will make dental work much easier on you. In fact, you will be so relaxed and comfortable that you will be more likely sleep through the procedure than anything else. The only downside to this is that you will be a bit loopy. Because of that, you will need someone you trust to drive you to and from the procedure as well as stay with you until you are lucid and steady on your feet. Other than that, it should be smooth sailing.
Why Remove Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
If your wisdom teeth are impacted, at some point they are very likely to develop an infection. So, your next question should be, “Why not wait until that happens?” Great question!
You are currently at the perfect age to have your wisdom teeth extracted. The bone is very pliable and there is hardly any cementum at the roots. As you get older, that changes. With those changes, comes an increased risk for serious complications. By the time you hit 30 your chances double. But, then the risk chances double much faster. I’d say about every 5 years.
While, 30 may seem like a long way away for you now, in reality you will blink and suddenly you’re 30. Life moves much faster after you graduate high school. Plus, each year the bone and cementum change to make the procedure a tiny bit more challenging. Having your wisdom teeth extracted now prevents all of those possibilities.
A second issue is control. If you wait until there is a dental emergency, you have very little control over when you get to go in and make arrangements for everything. Doing it before there is a problem means you have the contol.
You also have the bonus of getting your parents to pay for it. Once you are graduated and out of the house, then you will no longer have that benefit. Take my advice. Use their money and get this done while it is simple.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James E. Williams.