Wisdom tooth: Bad Timing.

One of my wisdom teeth is coming in (yes, I know -- not a moment too soon. ) but the problem is, it's impacted. It's been showing up that way for over a decade. The last dentist I went to (in Cornwall) said not to worry about yanking it until it starts giving me problems since it hasn't actually progressed in so long.

Well, yesterday I noticed that part of it pushed through the skin! I'm not sure how I didn't know before yesterday, but it wasn't hurting or anything. And didn't feel differently when I brushed that area.

I'm pretty sure it's not coming in correctly but on Friday morning I'm leaving for the U.S. for a month and I'm not sure what to do. Getting it done before the trip is obviously not an option, and getting it done while I'm in the U.S. is gonna cost a fortune. I don't want to wait till the situation becomes acute so if I must get it extracted in the U.S. then I'll do it but I'd rather wait until I get back if possible.

So now the question: is it possible? How long do you think it'll be between the tooth cutting through the gumline and the tooth becoming a serious problem? Better get it done as soon as possible or can I wait?

Ideally, I'd get it done as soon as I get back to the U.K. (going private most likely since getting it done on the NHS will take forever.)

I was told that I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth that needed to come out when I was 16.

I finally had them extracted when I was 21.

Now, I'm not saying you should wait that long (unless you want to end up with crooked bottom teeth like me!), but if it's not bothering you right now, based on my experience waiting a month may not make that much difference.  My wisdom teeth didn't start to become a problem on a day to day basis until I was about 19 or so, a few years after they were identified as needing to be removed.

I was told that I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth that needed to come out when I was 16.

I finally had them extracted when I was 21.

Now, I don't advise that you wait that long (unless you want to end up with crooked bottom teeth like me!), but I really don't think waiting a month is going to do anything if it's not bothering you right now.  My wisdom teeth didn't start to become a problem on a day to day basis until I was about 19 or so, a few years after they were identified as needing to be removed.

Thanks springhaze for the reassurance! I've also had them identified as impacted over a decade ago and basically since nothing happened there in all that time, I figured I'd wait. The last denstist I talked to agreed.

But the problem is now that they're actually pushing though! I was wondering now that they've started moving again (and they haven't been before -- this is definitely something that has happened in past month at most) how much grace do I have before they do damage to other teeth or more importantly (since I'm a chicken) how long before they start to really hurt!

But the problem is now that they're actually pushing though! I was wondering now that they've started moving again (and they haven't been before -- this is definitely something that has happened in past month at most) how much grace do I have before they do damage to other teeth or more importantly (since I'm a chicken) how long before they start to really hurt!

When mine started to push through, it was a couple of months before they started hurting (but even then it was intermittently, every couple of days I'd feel a twinge.)

Is it definitely going to end up as a problem?  My wisdom teeth didn't start giving me trouble until a couple of years after they came through.  If it is just pushing through now, it is going to be a problem to wait a month to get it seen to?

BTW, if you can take a trip to North London, I can recommend a dentist, who extracted mine with ZERO PAIN!!!!


Vicky

Is it definitely going to end up as a problem?  My wisdom teeth didn't start giving me trouble until a couple of years after they came through.  If it is just pushing through now, it is going to be a problem to wait a month to get it seen to?

BTW, if you can take a trip to North London, I can recommend a dentist, who extracted mine with ZERO PAIN!!!!


Vicky

Thanks Vick, I was actually gonna ask you for the recommendation.

my ex had impacted wisdom teeth for years..and they pushed through and never caused any problems.  He got the odd twinge..but Ibruprophen took the ache away (he said it was more of a dull ache than a pain) When the dentist finally agreed for them to be removed..it took 4 weeks to get a slot at the local hospital to have 3 extracted.  Then a weeks recovery after that.

I think you will be ok 

I'm not even sure what impacted means (!), but my wisdom teeth have been partly through for absolute years and only mildly bug me now and then. Ditto my mother. She's never had hers pulled and she's 65!

..it took 4 weeks to get a slot at the local hospital to have 3 extracted.  Then a weeks recovery after that.

My removal was booked a week after I first saw the dentist and recovery time was a day!

I just thought of something else...you shouldn't fly in the 48 hours after removal in case the altitude and air pressure causes the gum to start beelding again, so you can't do anything before you go anyway.

Vicky

Ouch.  Mine were coming up with the root end coming out and hurt like a son of a gun, so I got them removed and it took me a good week before I could eat solid food after removal, which was great fun because I got them removed x-mas eve and had to put my x-mas dinner in the blender. 
If they're not bothering you yet, I'd say just wait.  If they start hurting in the US, you can always get some orajel which always helps.  If they're not hurting,then don't worry about them until you get back. 

I'm not even sure what impacted means (!), but my wisdom teeth have been partly through for absolute years and only mildly bug me now and then. Ditto my mother. She's never had hers pulled and she's 65!

Its where thay grow or push into the other tooth next to it..causes them to be crooked or prone to infections. It can damage the tooth next to the wisdom one by scratching at the enamal and thus leaving the normal molar suseptable to decay.

My removal was booked a week after I first saw the dentist and recovery time was a day!

I just thought of something else...you shouldn't fly in the 48 hours after removal in case the altitude and air pressure causes the gum to start beelding again, so you can't do anything before you go anyway.

Vicky

No, unfortunatly getting it done before I leave is definitely not an option unless I want to hose my flight. Even if it is minor surgery, there's still risk of infection and a bunch of other unpleasantess so worst comes to worse, I'll cry but I'll get it done in the U.S.

Vick, how many teeth did you have removed? Just one?

Its where thay grow or push into the other tooth next to it..causes them to be crooked or prone to infections. It can damage the tooth next to the wisdom one by scratching at the enamal and thus leaving the normal molar suseptable to decay.

That's pretty much it. According to a website I read, three out of four people have their wisdom teeth impacted to some degree. Means they are not growing in correctly. Mine is 90-degree rotated so it's basically pushing out sideways (which is not is painful as it sounds) so I'm afraid it'll cause damage to the neighboring tooth before I can get it out. But as you guys say that's unlikely, I won't worry as much.

And on a related note, why does everything that has to do with dental care have such scary-sounding names? The tooth doesn't push out or grow out, it erupts. It's not tilted, twisted, or rotated, it's impacted. Seriously, considering how much people hate the dentist as it is, you'd think they'd use less terror-inducing nomenclature.

I only had the one out this time.

Vicky

hey mort sorry to her about the wisdom tooth.. hope u feel better...