If you don't have to have them out, don't. When you're really old and have lost some of your other jaw teeth, the bottom ones at least make great anchors for your partial.
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Wisdom Teeth
- Thread starter RedFive
- Start date
When I had mine done in college, they gave me an IV drip and it put me out pretty cold - although apparently I stopped the dentist during the operation and asked him to put on Grateful Dead (slightly embarrassing seeing as how much I hate hippies). No pain at all afterward, although it helped that I found a freshman cheerleader to "take car of me" after the operation.
So I guess here's a better question, as multiple people are saying different things. It's it mandatory to get them out to pass the flight physical? Or will the dentist just note you might need them done and no real forcing function?
Let's see ... hmmmmmmm ... 25K hours & 40+ years of passing flight physicals, I've still got mine -- all the while being 'counseled' by dentists for 25K hours & 40+ years to have them removed -- not 'cause there's anything 'wrong' w/ 'em ... just 'cause wisdom teeth apparently drive dentists INSANE when they look at 'em ...
The survey sez: one person saying one thing = I guess it's NOT mandatory to get them out if there's nothing 'wrong' w/ 'em ...
Besides ... I always did like this look:
Cron
Yankee Uniform Tango
I had the same option for my first ankle surgery. So, I took a spinal block and an MP3 player. Got some gas, then, between songs, I wondered....WTF is somebody doing construction in here? I could hear the sound of somebody using their Makita to drill something. I propped myself up on my elbows only to see that Makita going in my ankle. Strange feeling, to say the least. Especially when listening to 'Purple Haze'.
My story:
For years dentists have said that I should get my wisdom teeth out. And then every 3 years or so, some dentist would say they look fine, and I don't need to get them removed. So on one my of my flight physicals this dickface dentist says that I'm not deployable until I get them removed. I give in and make an appointment for oral surgery (even though I REALLY didn't want to).
On the day of the surgery, the dental tech swabs my gums with that nasty banana flavored crap that's supposed to numb them up a bit. Then the surgeon comes in, looks in my mouth...back to the x-rays...back to my mouth. He asks, "do you want to get these out, or is the dentist forcing you to get them out?" I explain that the dentist is saying I'm undeployable, and that's the only reason I'm in the chair. He says it's not really necessary, but since I'm there we can go ahead and proceed if I want to. I tell the Captain, "Hell no, sir". And he tells me he'll make the appropriate paperwork changes and to have a nice day.
Every year since then, the dentists keep telling me I need to consult with oral surgery to get them removed, and I point them back to the part in my record that says I already did the consultation and nothing's changed. For me, the surgery is too invasive and too risky especially when there's nothing wrong with those teeth.
For years dentists have said that I should get my wisdom teeth out. And then every 3 years or so, some dentist would say they look fine, and I don't need to get them removed. So on one my of my flight physicals this dickface dentist says that I'm not deployable until I get them removed. I give in and make an appointment for oral surgery (even though I REALLY didn't want to).
On the day of the surgery, the dental tech swabs my gums with that nasty banana flavored crap that's supposed to numb them up a bit. Then the surgeon comes in, looks in my mouth...back to the x-rays...back to my mouth. He asks, "do you want to get these out, or is the dentist forcing you to get them out?" I explain that the dentist is saying I'm undeployable, and that's the only reason I'm in the chair. He says it's not really necessary, but since I'm there we can go ahead and proceed if I want to. I tell the Captain, "Hell no, sir". And he tells me he'll make the appropriate paperwork changes and to have a nice day.
Every year since then, the dentists keep telling me I need to consult with oral surgery to get them removed, and I point them back to the part in my record that says I already did the consultation and nothing's changed. For me, the surgery is too invasive and too risky especially when there's nothing wrong with those teeth.
Well...all you guys are pretty lucky. In boot camp, they pretty much lined us all up outside the surgeon's office and went to work. I don't know of anybody who made it out of Chicago with their wisdom teeth.
FWIW, I never have to listen to the dentist complain because I still have them.
FWIW, I never have to listen to the dentist complain because I still have them.
Vas Deferens
SNA
I had countless dentists tell me and my parents that I needed braces when I was young-never did it.
Result: I have perfectly straight teeth at 26
When I got older, I had countless dentists tell me that I had to have my wisdom teeth removed-never did it.
Result: I have all four without complications at 26
But then again I'm just a rabbid anti-dentite bastard.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythrdCsOFJU
Result: I have perfectly straight teeth at 26
When I got older, I had countless dentists tell me that I had to have my wisdom teeth removed-never did it.
Result: I have all four without complications at 26
But then again I'm just a rabbid anti-dentite bastard.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythrdCsOFJU
FWIW, if they don't bug you and come in fine, I wouldn't do a procedure that isn't required. Shit, if we used that logic, we should just take out everyones' appendix since it does nothing for us except get infected and swollen and possibly kill us. Stupid.
For me, my bottom ones were poking through the gums, and top ones impacted. They HAD to come out.
For me, my bottom ones were poking through the gums, and top ones impacted. They HAD to come out.
Now, using that reasoning ... THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I should never have gotten a vasectomy ...
Are we done here ... ??
Anytime soon ... ???
Exactly. Navy Dentists can keep up their proficiency somewhere other than my mouth.Or ... don't.
If there's no GOOD reason to get them out ... why do it just so the dentists --
He was wrong.
I've been told for over 40 years by dentists of various sizes, shapes, uniforms, and competencies: ... "You know, you really should have those wisdom teeth removed ... "
O.K., fine ... I declined. The result: no cavities in 'em, zero problems in 'em ... I've still got 32 teeth ... or 31 if you insist on considering the one in front I lost in high school baseball ... it's a crown. :fight_125
I still have all my wisdom teeth. I had a Navy dentist say "you should get those taken out", when I asked, "why?" he couldn't give a good answer so they stayed in.
I also had a navy dentist tell me I needed to get a "cavity taken care of before it becomes a problem". 1 yr later a different dentist notices the same beginning of a cavity and says "you've had that for almost 10yrs according to the X-rays and it hasn't got any worse, I see no reason to start drilling".
I think the meaning of my post has somewhat been dilluted. I never intended to convince anybody that it was a good idea to pull your teeth simply for the sake of it. I hope we can all agree that some people legitimately need to have it done. For those of us falling into that group -- however small -- I was recommending Captain Starsiak at NATTC because I had a good experience (as good of an experience as pulling your teeth can be, at least) and I think he did a great job. His enlisted guys are respectful and know what they're doing -- something that even in my short time in the Navy I have discovered is not always the case. I'm not recommending the man because I want brownie points or so he'll sent me Christmas cards. I know what it's like to have a doctor who doesn't care and I found just the opposite. My hope is that another clueless Ensign, such as myself, will find this post and take some good gouge away from it.