Questions about wisdom teeth and some that haven't come through the gum yet

[IHIC]

Hi,

Well I have my Invisalign consultation booked for the end of August.

But I will see my regular dentist this Friday coming (it's just a 1 yearly regular check up). I have asked him the past 2 or 3 times to remove my wisdom teeth, but he keeps saying wait until next time to see. I've decided on Friday I will make sure I book an appointment for him to remove them (my upper ones, as the lowers haven't come through yet).

I discussed this in one of my other threads... but I'll remind you, since my upper wisdom teeth have come through I feel it has made my teeth more crooked, as there really wasn't enough room for them too! My mouth was overcrowded before they came through . I can see a difference in my two front teeth, they are definitely more out of line since the upper wisdom teeth have come through . It's not majorly noticeable to other people, but it obviously is to me.

My question is, can dentists remove wisdom teeth that haven't pierced the gum yet? My lower left one hasn't pierced the gum yet, but my lower right one has (I can see one corner of the tooth, the rest of the tooth is covered by the gum). The reason I ask is, my dentist said he can only remove teeth that are fully out of the gum and not ones that are yet to come through (is that what you call impacted? ). He said I would need to be referred to the hospital to get the wisdom teeth that are still in the gum removed - the NHS waiting list for this kind of thing can be 6+ months .

I'm now worrying that once I start my Invisalign treatment my bottom wisdom teeth could start to come through (because they will have to at some point) and then push my teeth like the upper ones did, and mess up my Invisalign treatment. So I'm worried on what to do about that.

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I'm really not sure whether I should get my upper wisdom teeth removed by my regular dentist before my Invisalign appointment in August? Or just wait until I see the Invisalign ortho first? I don't want to get them pulled in the next couple of weeks and then be told by the Ortho I will have to wait longer for them to heal first before he can tale molds and before I can start wearing the aligners.

I will admit I am a bit impatient lol. My appointment is at the end of August, then I will need another appointment after that to take proper molds and x-rays to send off to California (and because this orthodontist is booked up... there's could be at least a 1 months waiting list between appointments). So I might not get to have my 2nd appointment until October time.

So if removing my wisdom teeth through my regular dentist is going to make this process take even longer, then I wont get them removed. I'll wait.

[Lucy1986]

Hi
I had a wisdom tooth removed from the hospital oral surgeon, but I believe dentists can also do this. They can certainly take wisdom teeth out, but maybe not impacted ones. I'd follow your dentists advice- he'll know best! My wisdom tooth hadn't pierced the gum either. I think the waiting list was around 2 months. If I were you i'd wait to see the ortho first before doing anything, but thats just my opinion.

I am in my sixth week of invisalign now, and I too wondered whether I should get the remaining three removed. After my consultations and x-rays I was told this wasn't necessary, but I guess this could vary so you'd need to speak to him/her before making that decision.

Good luck with your consultation and treatment!

[mikeg]

This is a procedure done by oral surgerons... most will recommend you have them all taken out even if they are not causing issues (maybe for money) but they argue that it is hard to apply good hygiene to them when they come in since they are soo far in the back and the poor hygiene can spread to other teeth...

I had 3 taken out before braces .. the 4th was laying on a nerve so it was more risk than it was worth so I left it in.

My cost was $400 per tooth! very easy procedure though.... i didnt have much pain at all the next days...

[IHIC]

Hi
I had a wisdom tooth removed from the hospital oral surgeon, but I believe dentists can also do this. They can certainly take wisdom teeth out, but maybe not impacted ones. I'd follow your dentists advice- he'll know best! My wisdom tooth hadn't pierced the gum either. I think the waiting list was around 2 months. If I were you i'd wait to see the ortho first before doing anything, but thats just my opinion.

I am in my sixth week of invisalign now, and I too wondered whether I should get the remaining three removed. After my consultations and x-rays I was told this wasn't necessary, but I guess this could vary so you'd need to speak to him/her before making that decision.

Good luck with your consultation and treatment!

Hi Lucy,

I am with an NHS dentist. I do feel I will need them removed as my teeth are SO tight together, I can feel there was barely enough room for them to come through. I'll ask him on Friday anyway and see what he says, if he does suddenly say yes then I'll have to decide whether it's best to wait to see the Ortho first.

This is a procedure done by oral surgerons... most will recommend you have them all taken out even if they are not causing issues (maybe for money) but they argue that it is hard to apply good hygiene to them when they come in since they are soo far in the back and the poor hygiene can spread to other teeth...

I had 3 taken out before braces .. the 4th was laying on a nerve so it was more risk than it was worth so I left it in.

My cost was $400 per tooth! very easy procedure though.... i didnt have much pain at all the next days...

It's funny you should mention that, because I do have a hard time getting access to my two upper wisdom teeth when brushing! They're so tight and far back I can't get my toothbursh on the sides of them (the outer side) and it hurts my cheek/gum. It's a struggle to get the toothbrush right back there. I guess I could find a smaller head brush... not sure whether that would make things easier.

Either way, I want them gone. Even if the Ortho says there will be room to move the teeth with them staying put. I have a hard time brushing them and also they are growing to the side (the bottom of the tooth is facing my inner cheek).

Thanks for your replies

[Sunny]

IHIC please wait until you've sort the advice of your ortho, as more people are growing old with their 3rd molars providing great service as chewing teeth. Some people still need them removed, but there's not the need to remove them for oral hygiene reasons like there once was.

When it comes to having teeth taken out, a dentist is fully capable of removing teeth that are completely through the gum and often those that are 'mostly' through. when it comes to impacted teeth, an oral surgeon is required to do this job. With some people one or more wisdom teeth may be impacted and growing at an angle that will mean that the tooth will never come through the gum. In this case, a surgeon evaluates the situation and removes the tooth/teeth.

Either way, I want them gone. Even if the Ortho says there will be room to move the teeth with them staying put. I have a hard time brushing them and also they are growing to the side (the bottom of the tooth is facing my inner cheek).

Why would you not trust your ortho? It would seem you're paying a lot of money to a person to fix all your teeth and yet you don't trust him to give you the correct advice about your wisdom teeth? You need to work to improve your oral hygiene, so that it's not an issue, but as you write that your third molars are facing your cheek, it might be recommended they are removed, as it might be harder to straighten them, than remove thm. One more thing that an ortho takes into account when looking at your teeth, is gaps. If you have gaps, your teeth can move into them.

Good luck with your treatment and be confident that your oral specialists will recommend what is best for you and your bite. Trust them! [

[IHIC]

IHIC please wait until you've sort the advice of your ortho, as more people are growing old with their 3rd molars providing great service as chewing teeth. Some people still need them removed, but there's not the need to remove them for oral hygiene reasons like there once was.

When it comes to having teeth taken out, a dentist is fully capable of removing teeth that are completely through the gum and often those that are 'mostly' through. when it comes to impacted teeth, an oral surgeon is required to do this job. With some people one or more wisdom teeth may be impacted and growing at an angle that will mean that the tooth will never come through the gum. In this case, a surgeon evaluates the situation and removes the tooth/teeth.

Why would you not trust your ortho? It would seem you're paying a lot of money to a person to fix all your teeth and yet you don't trust him to give you the correct advice about your wisdom teeth? You need to work to improve your oral hygiene, so that it's not an issue, but as you write that your third molars are facing your cheek, it might be recommended they are removed, as it might be harder to straighten them, than remove thm. One more thing that an ortho takes into account when looking at your teeth, is gaps. If you have gaps, your teeth can move into them.

Good luck with your treatment and be confident that your oral specialists will recommend what is best for you and your bite. Trust them! [

Hi Sunny,

That part of my post may have come across wrong, sorry. I never said I don't/wouldn't trust my Ortho... if I ever felt that way then there is no way I would be going ahead with treatment with them! I am rather picky lol. I do and will trust my Ortho as he knows best. But since my upper wisdom teeth have come through I just made a choice that I wanted them removed. Mainly because they are growing outwards (I don't know the correct term, if there is one). I also find it difficult getting my toothbrush on the side of my wisdom teeth (the side that faces the cheek), it's VERY tight squeeze getting a brush between my tooth and cheek and can get a bit painful. Those were the main reasons for wanting them removed...

(I even find it difficult getting my finger in the gap between the side of the tooth and my cheek, it is very tight). So I don't really know what's best, trying to find a tooth brush with a smaller head maybe. Because the tooth is growing outwards, I have the base of the tooth facing my inner cheek and the side of the tooth facing up towards the roof of my mouth (it's hard to explain), trying to access that area is hard.

I have seen a few pictures of peoples impressions online and notice that alot of them don't even reach the wisdom teeth? So with regards to straightening wisdom teeth with Invisalign, is that possible? I was speaking to someone once who had started Invisalign and they said that their trays don't even reach their wisdom teeth, just the last Molar.

EDIT: It would be good if this board had the 'Thanks' option at the bottom of each post, it would come in handy as I would have thanked you all for your help! I'm so glad I signed upto this forum.

[IHIC]

Well I had my regular check up with my dentist this morning.

He wasn't keen at all to remove them and wanted to refer me to the hospital to get them all removed at once (well 3 of them as one hasn't even pierced the gum yet). I kept asking if he could do them and he said he could, but only one at a time...

The hospital waiting list is at least 4 months too...

Either way he did say that I would need them removed because they are crooked and could cause problems (I didn't think he was going to say that). He checked my lower one that is just coming through the gum and said that one is growing even more crooked than my others and is pushing up real tight against my molar and could cause a problem.

I have just phoned a random private dentist (in my town) to ask about wisdom teeth removal and they said they can't do that (even though it states on their website they do remove wisdom teeth, even impacted ones...).

How has everyone else managed to get theirs removed? if they didn't go to the hospital... in the UK?

[Punkin]

Do you have "oral and maxilofacial surgeons" in the UK? Here in the states, they are doctors who operate their own practice, outside of the hospital, who perform these types of operations.

I only had one wisdom tooth develop, and it never poked through the gum (as of age 38). When I had to have my teeth extracted for my invisalign treatment, the surgeon asked if I wanted that wisdom tooth out as well. I opted to have it out, since I'd already be there and under anesthesia.

[myhollywoodsmile]

Hi there,
Here in Australia you have to have wisdom teeth removed by oral surgeons, usually under general anaesthetic. I have 2 through and 2 impacted but I didn't need to have them removed before mu invisalign, and having seen what some of my friends have been through having it done I didn't want to either.

One thing I would suggest very strongly is that you ask your orthodontist before getting them pulled out. Sometimes they are actually needed when widening the arch. At least if he/she gives the go ahead you know it won't cause additional problems.

[Sunny]

Myhollywoodsmile that information is incorrect ... dentist's are qualified and allowed to remove wisdom teeth and they remove the majority of wisdom teeth in Australia. A dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon if you need a general anaesthetic, due to oral surgeons having the qualifications to work with anaesthesiologists.

Both my children have had some of their wisdom teeth removed in Australia. My daughter had all four impacted and lying sideways, so we had to pay quite a lot of money to have an oral surgeon remove her's, under a general anaesthetic.

More recently ... (can't remember if it was 2008 or 2007), my son had to have two wisdom teeth removed, due to one having a cavity and the other on the same side, having an infection. His dentist removed them both during a normal dental appointment and he was able to go back to work the next day, feeling fantastic. Plus the cost was much kinder!

I had my four wisdom teeth removed by dentists in New Zealand over a period of 15 years. Each tooth popped out without any incident and like my son ... no stitches.

I've heard some nasty stories about people having wisdom teeth out, but fortunately, even for our daughter it wasn't too bad although she did have to have stitches for all of them. My husband died this year at the age of 50, with all four wisdom teeth still firmly in his mouth and never having caused him any problems.

I totally agree that you need to talk to your orthodontist before you make any appointments to have teeth removed IHIC.

[IHIC]

Do you have "oral and maxilofacial surgeons" in the UK? Here in the states, they are doctors who operate their own practice, outside of the hospital, who perform these types of operations.

I only had one wisdom tooth develop, and it never poked through the gum (as of age 38). When I had to have my teeth extracted for my invisalign treatment, the surgeon asked if I wanted that wisdom tooth out as well. I opted to have it out, since I'd already be there and under anesthesia.

Hi there,
Here in Australia you have to have wisdom teeth removed by oral surgeons, usually under general anaesthetic. I have 2 through and 2 impacted but I didn't need to have them removed before mu invisalign, and having seen what some of my friends have been through having it done I didn't want to either.

One thing I would suggest very strongly is that you ask your orthodontist before getting them pulled out. Sometimes they are actually needed when widening the arch. At least if he/she gives the go ahead you know it won't cause additional problems.

Myhollywoodsmile that information is incorrect ... dentist's are qualified and allowed to remove wisdom teeth and they remove the majority of wisdom teeth in Australia. A dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon if you need a general anaesthetic, due to oral surgeons having the qualifications to work with anaesthesiologists.

Both my children have had some of their wisdom teeth removed in Australia. My daughter had all four impacted and lying sideways, so we had to pay quite a lot of money to have an oral surgeon remove her's, under a general anaesthetic.

More recently ... (can't remember if it was 2008 or 2007), my son had to have two wisdom teeth removed, due to one having a cavity and the other on the same side, having an infection. His dentist removed them both during a normal dental appointment and he was able to go back to work the next day, feeling fantastic. Plus the cost was much kinder!

I had my four wisdom teeth removed by dentists in New Zealand over a period of 15 years. Each tooth popped out without any incident and like my son ... no stitches.

I've heard some nasty stories about people having wisdom teeth out, but fortunately, even for our daughter it wasn't too bad although she did have to have stitches for all of them. My husband died this year at the age of 50, with all four wisdom teeth still firmly in his mouth and never having caused him any problems.

I totally agree that you need to talk to your orthodontist before you make any appointments to have teeth removed IHIC.

Hi all, thanks again for your replies.

I have been in contact with my Ortho and he explained some about the wisdom teeth removal (here in the UK). And I have decided to just go for my consultation at the end of August (before even thinking about getting the wisdom teeth removed!) and see what he says. Maybe I wont even need them removed (to make space) to get Invisalign. If that's the case then I wont mind being put on a long NHS Hospital waiting list to get them removed after my treatment.

[myhollywoodsmile]

I didn't realise that Sunny- my dentist sent me to an oral surgeon and told me that was how it was done here. Maybe mine were a difficult case as two are not through, or maybe my dentist just doesn't do wisdom teeth! The quotes I got from an oral surgeon were huge though, so it's great that you got your son's done for less.