Did you get your wisdom teeh removed? Or do you still have them?

You don't have to get them removed if they fit in your mouth and aren't causing you any trouble. Most people have them removed because theirs are impacted and don't drop down. Some people don't have them at all or only have a few. I had to have mine out because my jaw was too small to hold them but I know people that still have theirs. It's like the old saying...If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Here are some sites that might interest you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_teeth

http://www.ada.org/public/topics/wisdom_teeth.asp

I waited until I was in my late thirties to get my wisdom teeth removed. I wanted to get it done before any of the teeth had cavities that would be difficult to take care of. By that time, all four of my wisdom teeth had come up through the gum and were not difficult to remove. I had them removed all at the same time, with only some gas and a couple of painkiller shots, no anesthesia. The shots were the only painful part of it. The rest was mostly pulling and tugging. Uncomfortable but not really painful. However, once the medicine wore off, I had to take prescription painkillers for a few days because my whole jaw was in a lot of pain for a while. I could only eat the softest foods for a few days. It was very uncomfortable so I tried to sleep through most of it. Now I no longer have to worry about those teeth, so it was worth a few days of discomfort. Also, they are not pushing my other teeth into crooked positions.

I think if the dentist says your teeth are not causing space problems for the rest of your teeth or your jaw, you can keep the teeth--but eventually, you may need to get rid of them, because when they develop cavities, they are very difficult (according to my dentist) to fill.

If your teeth have not come up through the gum, that's a whole nother story and I can't help you there. But if you decide to wait a few years, it won't hurt you any, probably--and maybe dentistry will progress to a place where removal of wisdom teeth becomes easier and less painful.

Yes I had my all four of my wisdom teeth removed in March 1997, before my husband was relocated with the Army overseas. Wisdom teeth are called your 3rd molars, from what I was told and mine were not growing in straight up but sideways and pushing against my 2nd molars causing extreme pain towards the end.

I was supposed to have them removed in November 1996, but got nervous of being put under, which I had never done before. I was 26 years old when I had the surgery.

I don't think people purposely get their 3rd molars removed except that they already know that they will have to eventually because they have a small mouth and once they do come in it could ruin any braces work that was done, because it will push them tighter together, which happened to me on my bottom center 2 teeth are overlapped.

My husband has a smaller mouth than I and all his wisdom teeth came in straight but caused his teeth to overlap in several areas.

Mine are still in there. I'm still 19, but my dentist told me I didn't really NEED to have them removed. I have an 2 older sisters, one of them got their wisdom teeth removed and the other did. Neither of my parents got them removed, so I have a safe bet that I'm keeping mine.

I'm not sure at all, but it might have to do with heredity, too.

When I worked in an OS office, 50% of our wisdom tooth procedures were done on older people (30s-60's) who kept them in because they thought they didn't need to have them removed. I highly recommend getting them pulled before they start giving you problems. As you grow, so does the nerve. It forms around the roots of the wisdom tooth, which if damaged it can cause permanent numbing of the lower lip/jaw...Go in there, ask for some Valium and laughing gas and get em yanked! :)

My wisdom teeth came in when I was 18 yrs old and sideways at that. I went to The Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons in agonizing pain. They seen me at 4 pm and scheduled me for impacted wisdom teeth removal the next morning. My dad had to take a loan to help me to pay for it. The anesthesia to put me under cost a fortune. They put me to sleep and it was over in a short time. I didn't have any pain and was able to eat a regular supper that nite. I strongly recommend being put to sleep for wisdom teeth extraction. I think it is only necessary to remove them if they are bothering you or if you have had braces. You dint want your orthodontist handi work moving around by some unexpected wisdom teeth coming in.

I still have all my 3rd molars but I'm planning to have two of them removed. My upper wisdom teeth have erupted, but they are difficult to clean. I want to have them still though. I just need to be extra careful in cleaning them so they would not develop caries.

My lower 3rd molars are impacted and can't erupt properly, They are extremely difficult to clean and I'm planning to have them removed before they got infected and before treatment becomes more complicated.

I think it's alright to keep your wisdom teeth as long as they are healthy and would not cause future problems. Impacted 3rd molars have to be removed because they have a tendency to become infected, cause future problems and require more complex treatment than normal extraction procedures. So if you have the impacted ones, have them removed when you have the opportunity.

I only had the two top ones. The others never formed. I had them out in my late thirties. One was partially impacted and causing problems. They recommended I have the other one out as well because it was unopposed (by a bottom tooth) so would keep descending and cause problems later. Had only novocaine and was fine with advil after. No big deal.

My older son just had all four out. One was impacted and they recommended that all come out because his jaw wasn't large enough for the rest to come in. He had a little gas plus an IV local. Worst part for him was coming out of the sedation. He was very angry. The sedation can cause mood changes. One it wore off he was also fine with advil. We filled a prescription for Percocet but he never needed it.

I still have them but I'm getting them out in two weeks. They're impacted and I don't want them to start pushing on my other teeth and let 4 years of wearing braces go to waste.

I am 51 and still have mine-- they are rather small in size my dentist says he feels no need to remove them --they do not cause me any trouble and I am using them to chew.

So if your not having any trouble your fine.