When I was a teen, my wisdom teeth were removed almost automatically. I was told I had a small mouth and it would prevent overcrowding. But, I was in my late teens for two of them and early twenties for the other two. Not sure it really made sense.

My kids, now adults, I believe had them removed for similar reasons.

Three years ago, I had a negative experience at the dentist office. When I tried to get help from other dentists, it only got weirder. It took me a long time to find an honest dentist. In the process, I've heard some rather peculiar stories.

So, this is one of them....do we need to remove wisdom teeth automatically? Are dentists sometimes too quick to suggest their removal?

http://fusion.net/story/252916/shoul...th-removed-no/

I'm hoping that more thought is put into this these days...examine each case individually rather than removing them almost automatically.

Just something to think about...to be aware of the possibility that perhaps it isn't something that needs to be standard procedure.

As a side note, please be aware that you have the right to question your medical care and to seek a second opinion. Trust your instincts.

Vowel Lady,

Thanks for posting that article. Although the author embellishes a bit on certain things, the bulk of the information is certainly noteworthy.

In my opinion, wisdom tooth removal should never be considered a benign surgical procedure. Unfortunately many people don't really know why they're told to have their wisdom teeth out and that applies to those who have symptoms of a problem and those who don't.

Like most dental procedures, there are certain common risks or post operative complications that patients should be informed about prior to accepting the treatment. The problem with the risk and complication list is that sometimes the extent of them are not fully known until during the extraction or soon thereafter due to the individual circumstances and personal anatomy.

My experience with this topic from the dental perspective is that there are plenty of valid reasons to extract wisdom teeth .... however without question I think every case should be evaluated based on the individual circumstances.

Thanks again for sharing that link!