A few weeks ago I flossed off a crown. It was unsettling hearing something bouncing around in the bathroom sink (for a second I worried it was a tooth). I was relieved to discover it was a crown, but then went back to being worried. My dentist claims that's the best way to lose a crown--by hard flossing, it helps uncover trouble early.
Before the new, permanent crown is installed, I have to decide whether to have the wisdom tooth behind it pulled. The dentist thinks the wisdom tooth was a contributing factor in losing the crown.
So, what do you think? Pull the wisdom tooth? Do you still have your wisdom teeth?
Why do I keep hearing the sound of a dentist's drill??? You know, this temporary crown is fine...I probably never need to go back to the dentist. :D
PS - Where's the Tooth Fairy and Crickette (my dentist friends) when I need them???
Hmmm..a conundrum indeed. I hate teeth (problems). I have so many of them growing up. I have the mouth of a 90 year old because many of them are filled, crowned, or both. I don't have any of my wisdom teeth, I think. If it's not coming in crooked, I'd leave it. But I'm no dentist.
ReplyDeleteThe tooth is straight. It crowds the one in front of it a little though.
DeleteI would blame my teeth issues on growing up with well water, but my wife did too and her teeth are great. My grand parents and my mom all had false teeth. As a kid I remember watching my mom take hers out and brush them under the bathroom faucet. THAT looked like a much more efficient way to do it. :)
I'm the wrong person to ask. The only thing I'm more afraid of than the dentist is snakes. I guess given that I'm such a coward if it was me I would do the thing that will keep me away from the dentist office in the future. That might mean pulling the wisdom tooth. But then again, it might be perfectly fine and your dentist might be trying to make an extra buck. I watched a show several years ago where someone had their teeth examined by a professor at a dental school in Ontario. Then they were sent out across the country to ten different dentists to see if they would come up with the same treatment plan. The dental school prof estimated this person needed about $600 of work done on their teeth. The estimates from dentists across the country ranged from $1000 to over $10,000. Which makes me think getting a second opinion might not be a bad idea.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! When I was 18 or 19 a dentist told me I needed a root canal and a post (a gold post) inserted to support a crown. My dad took me to his dentist and the guy filled the tooth for $50. I did end up getting a root canal, but it was 20 years later.
DeleteI think you're right about he wisdom tooth too. It being there increases the chances of future decay--it's an upper tooth and it's not easy reaching up/back there.
I won't tell you my childhood story about my wisdom teeth. It was traumatizing for a 11 year old kid! However, that being said, I definitely think you should get it out now. Do it right once and you won't have to worry about the crown in the future!
ReplyDeleteOuch, an 11 year old shouldn't have to go through that! But that sounds like good advice, thank you!
Deleteoy, glad you found the crown, i hear they are expensive? and haha I got my wisdom teeth all out, i guess now i have no wisdom :)
ReplyDeleteYou're proof it doesn't work that way! I still have 3 wisdom teeth--but soon it will be just two! They are expensive!
DeleteI got mine out ages ago and it wasn't a big deal - plus you get to eat lots of ice cream after haha. Well, maybe that's not required, but it should be :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to assume it's required--for this and many other things. :)
DeleteUgh I am NOT a fan of dentists and have had all of my wisdom teeth pulled so hopefully don't have to worry about any of that in the future. Although, teeth are playing a large role in my most recent events...
ReplyDeleteI wish we had shark-type teeth that replace themselves when needed. Oh, I just heard about a new method for implants--rather than implanting each individual tooth, and entire set of uppers or lowers is implanted as a single piece. I won't be doing that, but it sounded interesting.
DeleteI have my wisdom teeth pulled out each time they gave me problems. It seems to norm here in my country to yank out any wisdom once they shoot out.
ReplyDeleteI think most people here have them removed when they are teenagers, but not all of us. Mine came in without too much pain, so no one wanted to send money on yanking them out.
DeleteWhat did you end up doing?
ReplyDeleteI only ended up with 3 wisdom teeth, but there wasn't any room for any of them to come in. Had to have them cracked and cut out of my gums because my mouth is so small. And that's on top of having all 4 of my bicuspid teeth removed prior to getting braces! Seems like my mandible and maxilla abnormally small, but what's new, I'm a whopping 4'11 haha.
Cracked...that sounds miserable! I had room for mine, so initially they all stayed. But I did have that one pulled, so now I'm down to only 2 wisdom teeth.
DeleteI was put under for the procedure, so I didn't feel a thing. Just sore when the anesthesia wore off.
DeleteThat depends on what you want for your teeth, and what you feel you need for the moment. We can get by with our wisdom tooth for a long time; people even grow old with it. But if there’s a chance that it might cause complications in the future, then I would suggest removal. Whichever you decide, I hope everything goes well. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteVictor Peterson @ Dr. Farole