Hi,

I've been putting off posting here for ages, and just reading over everyone else's questions and answers. I'm overly terrified of going to the dentist due to a bad experience as a kid. My last visit was I'd say 10 years ago when I had my braces removed, and was consulting to have my wisdom teeth removed. I was 18 and my insurance my parents had on me at the time was about to expire, where I'd have to provide my own, I didn't know all the details at the time but the plan was to have my wisdom teeth removed before I was left with out Dental insurance.

However my fear of going to the dentist and considering my mother left it in my hands to schedule and have the teeth removed prevented me from doing so.

I'm now 28 and un-insured again (due to my ex husband), and have all 4 of my wisdom teeth still. About a month or so ago I was having a bagel during breakfast I bite down onto something hard. Being a picky eater I spit it out into a napkin and found what looked to be a piece of one of my teeth. After a thorough inspection in the mirror and poking around with my finger at my teeth in the back of my mouth I discovered that half or nearly half of one of my upper wisdom teeth is missing. The piece that I found however was a mere chip to what seems to be missing at the moment.

It's a little sharp some days and others it's not I don't know if there's another piece broken off that's still semi attached that likes to dig into the side of my cheek because it's not always doing so. But aside from that there is no pain, associated with it.

I know I should probably go to the dentist to have it checked out but then again I'm very leery of a visit now when it's gotten to this point. But as it seems I have a new fear. That all my teeth will start doing the same thing and fall out.

My question is basically what options are out there for someone in my situation? (I live in Western New York if that helps for insurance options or whatever.)

Will they just remove the wisdom tooth and leave the others or will they take them all out. It was recommended that they all come out back when I was 18 because of space in my mouth (this was before they came in as well). And just looking at my teeth now you'd never know I wore braces my wisdom teeth have pushed everything forwards and crowded them all together.

Is it possible it will just fall out on it's own and everything be fine? (yes I'm that scared of actually going to the dentist to hope this could happen.:( )

It is recommended that they all come out, but they won't make you do this.

The teeth will not fall out. If they do, you've got bigger problems.

You can go to the dentist and tell them of you fear. They won't do anything to you that you don't specifically tell them they CAN do. They will explain to you what procedure you need and they will tell you what will happen if you don't get it done.

But, really. You are opening yourself up for all kinds of bad stuff if you don't take care of your choppers.

That's a real shame that your teeth went crooked again, I had braces and they are expensive and are a real pain to have on , and I would hate it if my teeth went crooked again,

I know this is easier said than done, but please don't let your fears run your life, you need to get over your fear and face it.. damage is already happening and you're going to see worse problems if you don't take care of it.. get insurance, and after a month or so schedule an appt (takes about that long for insurance to kick in)

Well after poking around with a little plastic dental mirror I picked up at the grocery store I found something interesting.. the tooth is still in tact just side ways.. maybe that little chip I found that one morning is what's making it seem sharp.

Now I don't know if that's better than half being missing or not. What am I looking at now if the tooth isn't broken but more a less facing towards my cheek rather than up straight?

It's best that you see a dentist to be referred to an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon will just take an x-ray and let you know your options. Obviously you do not have room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth. It's best to have them removed when they are not causing you pain or are infected which can happen if they are not fully erupted into your mouth.

If you are as fearful of the dentist as you sound, the oral surgeon will probably suggest you be put to sleep to have all 4 teeth removed. He could also sedate you with something similar to valium. You'll be awake and able to respond to questions but you really won't care what they are doing. There is also the option of nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

Having your teeth removed by an oral surgeon will probably be more costly than having them removed by a dental surgeon (regular dentist).