“Do I need to remove all 4 wisdom teeth?”
I'm 25, and all of my wisdom teeth are in. I want to know if I need to have them all removed, even if I'm not having any issues? Do I need all 4 gone, or is it okay to keep them?
5 Answers
At minimum yearly monitoring is suggested. Based on radiographic and clinical findings you can determine if they need to be removed.
It would be worth having someone consult you in that regard. If they are COMPLETELY erupted, they may not be a big risk to leave alone. If not, they need to determine how risky they would be to the teeth in front of them over the years.
It is your decision to remove 0,1,2,3 or all 4 wisdom teeth. As the upper wisdom teeth will generally drift inferiorly following removal of the upper wisdom teeth, a general (not absolute) recommendation is to remove the upper wisdom teeth when the lowers are removed. If the upper teeth drift inferiorly, then they can eventually irritate the soft tissues over the lower arch and/or contribute to decay with the adjacent second molar teeth. Evaluation by an OMS is recommended.
Extraction of third molar teeth should always be considered in a very patient specific manner. Although a patient may not have any "issues," there may be reasons to consider surgery as well as retaining such teeth. There are absolute indications for surgery, relative indications for surgery, and contraindications in both categories (absolute and relative) as well. This type of question cannot be answered without having seen the patient for examination, review of appropriate X-rays, and review of pertinent medical history at a minimum. See an oral and maxillofacial surgeon!
You would need to be evaluated to answer that question. However, statistically, you will have problems with them during your lifetime and it becomes harder to remove wisdom teeth the older you get.
