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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
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I wish I never had to have mine removed, I have had some problems in my mouth ever since. Unfortunately they ruptured and were causing me a terrible amount of pain
Having had 2 impacted wisdoms, I’d have to disagree with you, unless you enjoy being in near constant pain. I didn’t and I don’t regret having the impacted wisdoms and their partners removed… not one bit!
I agree and disagree with this. If they are impacted, in time, they will most likely cause a problem. Crowding other teeth, push teeth in a different direction, etc. If they are only partially erupted, it’s a bigger problem, because gum issue arise. They are hard to clean in a smaller mouth. If you have a large mouth, with plenty of room for growth, leave them be.
I had my first set of wisdom teeth removed at about 18 or 19. Bottom only because there were none on the top. Not even in x-rays. By the time I was 21, my second set had grown in on the bottom. I knew they were coming. My dentist/oral surgeon showed them to me on the x-rays. He chose to remove set #1 so I didn’t have issues with the others that would eventually come in behind/beneath them. The first set seemed innocuous enough and he would have left them if not for the ones waiting in line. When the second set started moving in, they were in a different position (mesioangular nonimpacted) and grew *almost* straight at the backs of my other teeth. My dentist told me when the first set came out, that the second set may cause me a little discomfort as they grew in and settled but that the damage to the rest of my teeth would be minimal. So little crowding that he would just leave them alone. 34 and they’re still there, in a weird position at the back of my jaw.
Thanks for replying Edie, I had teeth removed when I was a teen specifically to allow space for my wisdom teeth to come in properly. Which they did and have not caused any significant movement of other teeth in my mouth. All is well there. I just have noticed that there are small cavities popping up on them and am pretty sure that it will eventually cause a necessary extraction. I most likely will not require surgery to have them removed, it would be a simple pull. Ugh, I do take care of my teeth and floss regularly but they surely are hard to reach for both properly brushing and flossing.
Do you TRULY regret it? Does it REALLY haunt your every day life?
And usually if they do it, it’s a preventative measure. Get over it
They only do it if it IS necessary. Mine has never asked me if I want mine removed or recommended it, because they had room to grow in.
I wasn’t aware that wisdom teeth removal was routine. In my experience it’s only done when it is deemed medical necessary.
A man who lives here in San Diego at 24 years old just died from a routine wisdom teeth extraction. Pretty sad