Expert: Jeff Dalin DDS - 6/6/2006

Question
I am 35 years old and have never had my wisdom teeth removed.  Though they are impacted, they came in straight and never caused me any problems.  Various dentists have encouraged me to have them removed, but when I finally saw an oral surgeon a few years back, he recommended that as
long as they don't bother me, I should leave them alone because the x-rays showed I am a high risk case for jaw or nerve damage (roots very
close to nerve).

However, I moved recently and started seeing a new dentist.  She is recommending something new to me - laser removal of the soft tissue that
partially covers the lower wisdom teeth.  I understand that this will reduce the risk of infection in the area, but is it a good idea to "mess with" an area that is not causing me any current problems?  She also stated they may have to remove some bone as well, as the teeth appear to be impacted slightly by the curve of the jawline on one side.  This sounds extreme, painful, and difficult to recover from.  How does the bone get recovered by gum after the surgery?

Thanks,
Scott

Answer
Scott,
I am kind of like you. I am a firm believer in that if it is not broken, then why fix it. I have told patients to do that tissue trimming but they are always people who have had some flareups. You have never had any problems. So why not wait until if and when that ever happens. What happens is that something gets stuck under that tissue and it swells up a bit. Lasers are definitely the way to go if you need this. There is less pain and postop problems when a laser is used. I am not looking at things in person clinically so I cannot give you any definitive answers. Maybe a second opinion would put your mind at ease. This will be your decision. Good luck,

Jeff Dalin, DDS