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Wisdom tooth extraction is a multibillion-dollar industry driven by myths that continue to be spread by the conventional dental profession for immense profit.
Over Spring Break during my senior year in college, I endured wisdom tooth extraction like just about everyone else I knew my age. To top it off, the dentist knocked me out for the procedure instead of using a simple local anesthetic plus laughing gas.
Needless to say, I spent most of my vacation on the living room couch with my mouth loaded with gauze! Recovery from the anesthesia caused even more complications.
Prior to surgery, were my wisdom teeth infected or painful in any way?
No.
Were they causing any sort of problems for me whatsoever?
No.
Then why in the world did I have them out you might ask?
Good question!
As it turns out, over two-thirds of cases of wisdom tooth extraction are completely unnecessary says Dr. Jay Friedman DDS in a study published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Of the approximately 5 million people who endure wisdom tooth extraction each year, 11,000 suffer what’s called “permanent paresthesia” which is a fancy name for numbness of the lip, tongue, and cheek resulting from nerve damage during the surgery.
The problem is, wisdom tooth extraction is quite the little oil well of profit for dentists with the costs of such surgeries topping 3 billion US$ each and every year.
Sounds like the standard practice of wisdom tooth extraction is a bit like “finding and filling” cavities that don’t exist, doesn’t it?
Ah, yes. There’s the rub.
According to Dr. Friedman:
Third-molar surgery is a multibillion-dollar industry that generates significant income for the dental profession, particularly oral and maxillofacial surgeons. It is driven by misinformation and myths that have been exposed before but that continue to be promulgated by the profession.
Dr. Friedman goes on to dismantle in very compelling fashion the 5 myths of wisdom tooth extraction.
Myth #1: Most Wisdom Teeth Cause Problems
The truth is that only 12% of wisdom teeth actually cause an acute issue somewhere down the road that requires the attention of a dentist to resolve.
This is about the same rate as appendicitis, but people do not routinely and preventively have their appendix removed like what happens with wisdom teeth!
Myth #2: Early Wisdom Tooth Extraction is Less Traumatic
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends the extraction of all 4 wisdom teeth by early adulthood before the roots are fully formed to minimize any chance of infection and pain.
The truth is that this early removal of wisdom teeth is actually much more traumatic than a wait and see approach which leaves asymptomatic wisdom teeth in place and only removes them if pathology develops in the future.
Further, complications from wisdom tooth extraction which include dry socket, secondary infection, and paresthesia (numbness of the lip, tongue, and cheek) are less likely to occur in an older patient than an adolescent.
Myth #3: Erupting Wisdom Teeth Crowd Anterior Teeth
Dr. Friedman writes that it is simply not possible for wisdom teeth to crowd 14 other teeth with firm vertical roots.
There is simply not enough force to do so and multiple studies support this fact.
Myth #4: Risk of Problems Increases With Age
A study of 1756 people who kept their wisdom teeth for an average of 27 years found that less than 1% experienced any cyst formation.
There is zero evidence to support the unsubstantiated claim by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons which states that problems with impacted wisdom teeth increase with age.
Myth #5: Risk of Harm is Small
The list of potential complications from wisdom tooth extraction is long.
- Pain
- Swelling
- Trismus (lockjaw)
- Hemorrhage
- Alveolar osteitis (dry socket)
- Periodontal damage
- Soft-tissue infection
- Injury to temporomandibular joint
- Malaise
- Temporary paresthesia (numbness of the lips, tongue, and cheek)
- Permanent paresthesia
- Fracture of adjacent teeth
- Fracture of the mandible
- Fracture of the maxilla
- Sinus exposure or infection
- Anesthetic complications
Even in cases where there are absolutely no complications whatsoever, wisdom tooth extraction requires 3 days of discomfort and disability while the patient recovers from surgery.
Given that no more than 12% of wisdom teeth ever cause any problems whatsoever at any point down the road, the risk of removal seems great in comparison.
Skip The Surgery!
So, if your dentist tells you or your child that it’s time for those wisdom teeth to come out when they aren’t causing any trouble at all, just politely smile, say “uh, no thanks”, and go home.
You just saved yourself a rather large chunk of change my friend.
Even in cases where you must remove the wisdom teeth, there is no need for antibiotics in most cases. A biological dentist has natural approaches to protect a patient from infection without destruction of the gut with meds.
Which Dentists Won’t Pressure You To Remove Wisdom Teeth?
If you are getting pressured to remove your child’s wisdom teeth, know that a biological dentist does not do this!
I get many requests about who I recommend as a truly holistic, biological dentist who understands the value to long-term health of the wisdom teeth and WON’T take them out unless absolutely necessary.
I recommend Dr. Carlo Litano of Natural-Smiles.com – (727) 300-0044.
He sees young children as well as adults and does phone consultations to help guide those who don’t live near his office. Be sure to tell Dr. Litano that Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist sent you and get 10% off your first visit!
Reference
American Journal of Public Health, Prophylactic Extraction of Third Molars: A Public Health Hazard, Jay Friedman DDS
More Information
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What is the True Cause of Crooked Teeth?
10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Avoiding Root Canals with Diet Alone
Could the Cause of Your Illness Be Right Under Your Nose?
What about the people who don’t have anterior teeth with straight vertical roots? My anterior teeth roots are all sorts of crooked..
And one more thing. They were almost entirely covered with gum for years but they worked their way to the surface, so it might take some patience as well.
My lower ones are partially impacted (a good part of the crown is out though) and my dentist has repeatedly told me I should have them taken out. I didn’t. Both of them developed small cavities and I convinced another dentist to fill them like they would with any other teeth. I’m 26 now and I’ve had wisdom teeth since I was 19-20. They have never hurt me and the rest of my teeth are perfectly fine. I decided to keep them after looking at my X-rays and reading some stuff about the risks, which seemed both improbable and worth taking. The way things are looking up to now, I have no reason to regret having thought with my own brain.
I went to see my dentist 4 months ago (after I noticed an unusual presence of teeth growing on both sides of my bottom jaw), he recommended that I get a 3D Cone Beam scan, which I did. I am currently viewing my scans, and they clearly show that there is NO room for growth.
One tooth has partially erupted and the other tooth has virtually no space to pop up and is still covered by gum (and is growing at 45 degrees against another molar). My teeth have always been crowded in my small jaw. However It has been 4 months now, and there hasn’t been much pain at all. (Just the occasional itches of little annoying pains here and there which quickly disappears in day or two, but it’s totally not bothering me now). I think I had one infection when they first erupted. Since then I have always ensured that I keep my teeth clean and have used an anti-bacterial solution to clean my mouth. (I brush twice a day, once in the morning after breakfast, and once at night just before going to bed). It can get annoying when food gets stuck in your wisdom teeth (especially popcorn grrr), but a casual chewing gum will do the trick followed by thorough brushing of the area. It costs almost a grand to get ONE tooth removed under local anaesthesia (4 needles in the gum!) That’s the equivalent of 5440 chewies!
I have my extraction procedure booked within a few days (after two consultations, one with my Dentist and an Oral Surgeon). I am thinking of putting it off. The surgeon said some people put it off for 20 years until they can’t take it any more. o.O He also said it’s easier the younger your are. Any suggestions?
All 4 of my wisdom teeth first showed up on an X-ray of mine when I was about 14 or so, the orthodontist told us that they were fully developed and because they were impacted at a 90 degree I should have them removed as soon as possible. The thing is this; over the next several years I went through having a device called an “herbst” in my mouth, which was used to fix my underbite by bringing my jaw forward, after that was removed I had braces on for about 3 years. By the time I was 18 all the orthodontic work was done on my mouth, and because I still had not had my wisdom teeth removed the dentist (a different one than the first one) said that I should have them removed before they start to cause problems.
I have never had any problems with my wisdom teeth before. No pain, no aches, no movement, no nothing. I am 21 now and it’s been about 7 years since they first started showing up on X-rays. If they were going to come in shouldn’t they have come in by now? That’s my thought, and since they’ve never been a problem before now I don’t see why I should have them removed at all. I would like to hear some thoughts on this. Thanks. 🙂
That’s what I’m saying for years..
http://oi51.tinypic.com/35d6jb5.jpg
How it looks without wisdom teeth, right- nicely formed jaw with. (this pic is of something else but comparison is good). The jaw grows while wisdom teeth grow and one gets more adult look. Smaller jaw is the natural look of kids.
But if you do need to have them extracted, don’t put it off. It’s harder on you when you’re older.
“People don’t realize that dental disease can cause serious illness,” said Dr. Irvin Silverstein, a dentist at the University of California at San Diego. “The problems are not just cosmetic. Many people die from dental disease.” http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/lack-of-dental-care-can-kill-you/
people in our office volunteer (use their own money)to go to other countries to provide dental care so they don’t have to die from their teeth and mouths
You’d trust someone who feeds kids Sodium Fluoride Tablets ????!