HELP PLEASE !: Should Wisdom teeth be pulled before B'Day ?

[BuCa *]

My Wisdom tooth just started bothering me again on monday.

Should I get it extracted before braces ?

OR is there another way to fix this issue ?
I REALLY don't want to get any teeth extracted & my ortho didn't mention it.

Help please, I'm scared !

[Zoso]

You say they are bothering you: how so?

Among possible reasons they ought perhaps to be removed:

• if they are what is referred to as mesially impacted (the most common form of impaction) or horizontally impacted and pushing on the roots of the 12-year molars immediately in front of them, they may need to be removed to protect those teeth
• if they are partially erupted, then the surrounding gum tissue can be especially susceptible to repeated infections, referred to as recurring pericoronitis - if the wisdom teeth are not going to erupt completely, then if there are recurring infections of this sort, then you should consider having them removed
• if you experience recurrent problems with decay or gum disease around a fully erupted wisdom tooth, it may be wise to remove it
• sometimes the presence of a fully erupted wisdom tooth can make properly cleaning the 12-year molar in front of it problematic, and again in this case, you might consider removing the wisdom tooth

Since your orthodontist has not expressed an opinion, I think you should perhaps consult with your general dentist to see if there are any of these issues going on, or any other reason you might be well-served to consider removing the wisdom teeth, and let him be your guide.

[mikeg]

I highly recommend you get them pulled before braces... it def can't hurt.. .and if they begin to move again when you get the braces off, they could affect your bite and move the rest of your teeth.

Shop around for oral surgeons that take your insurance, as it can be expensive.. sometimes $400 per tooth!

[Zoso]

By the way: don't be scared.

I resisted getting my wisdom teeth pulled for many years, but when I eventually did, it was no big deal at all. The key is to follow your surgeon's post-op instructions carefully.

[BuCa *]

Thanks for the advice Zoso & Mike !

Zoso, my wisdom tooth was killing me and I looked back at it to see that there was a cut to my gum. Meaning that its breaking the gum !

[Zoso]

If it's coming in straight enough that it will be able to erupt fully, and will not press on the tooth in front, you should hopefully be fine.

[Anny]

I had my impacted bottom wisdom teeth removed in January - that was a trial and a half! At the time I had my top braces in. My teeth were difficult to remove and the dentist had to apply a lot of pressure in order to get them out. I ended up with a lot of soreness inside my cheeks from having the top braces rub and press against the skin while he maneuvered the wisdom teeth out. If you have to get them pulled whilst in braces I suggest covering them in wax first!

Hindsight is always 20/20

[Zoso]

Sounds like some advice based on some hard-earned experinece, but you'd have to check if your surgeon or dentist would be happy with the wax being there - might not be possible to have a foreign body in the mouth like that whilst they do the extraction - it might be dislodged and fall into the wound, or maybe they might view it as a slight choking hazard?? I'm just guessing mind you, but certainly you should ask - worst they could say is no. If the answer was no, you could also ask if they would be able to place gauze or some other barrier between the brackets and the cheeks.

[richmondhill]

It most causes where wisdom teeth may become problematic, they are usually extracted before getting braces.

[ashleigh]

If wisdom teeth are bothersome or pushing on your teeth, I would get them extracted. I got my wisdom teeth extracted without any problems and it wasn't a bad experience at all.