erupted tooth, anyone?

[BeerMan]

has anyone ever had it happen? was it bad? any horror stories? pictures? or is it nothing to worry about?

anyway, last week I saw a dentist for the 1st time in years.

well, actually, 3 years, but the last visit did not go over too well with one other dentist, because he insisted that there was nothing major to worry about, even when I pressed my concern about the left molars.

I have had the molars taken out of my right side many many years ago (ok, 18 years), so that part was over and done with. the dentist at the time suggested that I come back later on and get the left ones out.

some years ago, I started having a toothache on the left side. it would recur every other month, until over a month ago. while having dinner, I had an immense pain like no other. it was so bad I could not eat for an hour. since then, the pain would come and go, just on the lower part of the left side. it would occur while I was eating. and I have been chewing on the food carefully, mostly to keep it on the right side, but I would end up biting my damn lip.

finally, I made good on my years old resolution. I went in to get my teeth checked, get some x-rays taken, and then today they called to tell me something that I had no idea about. first, they said every is fine, but they want to pull only the lower wisdom. thinking my insurance would cover just one extraction per day (it's true, but wtf?), I asked about the other tooth and was blown away by what they call a tooth eruption. it means that the extraction of that tooth is not necessary anymore, just optional. but the lower one is a major concern.

so I'm scheduled to go in next week and have that sucker out.

that said, I am still not sure what the tooth eruption is all about, nor have I heard of it before. I cannot understand how it happened without my knowing it? I guess it came and went, but I just could not feel around on that side and find it.

[Sticky]

A tooth eruption is basically a fancy term for "your tooth came in". Basically, since your wisdom tooth came in, they won't need to pull it any more since you are having the other one removed. It's creating space in your mouth so that the "erupted" tooth can stay put.

[4/10/82]

i had a whole other eruption deal on my front tooth not too long ago. i had a root canal on it about 20 years ago (took a knee in the mouth wrestling), and it had started to darken pretty noticeably. so the dentist looked a little deeper into it, sent me to a specialist and told me i had "resorption." basically, the gum tissue was pushing into the tooth structure and devouring it from within. what to do about it? nothing. it'll take care of itself. so, a few months later, i'm minding my own business, and i start gushing blood from the mouth. the gum tissue had broken through the tooth and was squirting blood like a damn lawn sprinkler. had the tooth removed, and now am waiting for the jaw to heal so i can get an implant.
i explained that story to the first several people who asked me what happened to my tooth. but that got tired and boring for everyone involved. now i just say "i play hockey."

[taz42]

Well Beerman, when anything is interferring with your eating, I KNOW it's serious. My best to you.

[Birdman]

30 years old. 3 of the 4 wisdom teeth yanked, all at once. The dentist and I discussed and collectively decided to yank the molar nearest the wisdom tooth that erupted as it was likely going to give me trouble later on down the road. So it was a total of 4 extractions, all under sedation. Went in at 8am, was home and in bed by 11am. Slept most of the day, took my pills, watched TV, went to bed, slept until noon the next day (Saturday).

Here we are 6 years later, and the GAP in the back between the molar and the remaining wisdom tooth is large enough that I will likely need a bridge or an implant.

[FlyinKIng]

Try getting a 5th, yes I said 5th wisdom pulled. I had all 4 of them pulled when I was 17. But about 7 years ago I kept getting headaches and the back of my mouth was sour. Sure enuff it was another wisdom. The doc says it's rare...So I keep telling my wife that it must mean I'm the chosen one!