<p>In the appointment package, there was a sheet requesting a recent panorex. it also said to get all impacted wisdom teeth removed before reporting on I-day. Technically, my wisdom teeth are "impacted" because they are below the surface still. the only problem is that they are just forming crowns and have no roots yet. My dentist said they will not "erupt" for at least 2-3 years, and removing them now will be very physically traumatic b/c they will have to drill through the bone to extract them. Does anyone know the policy on this?</p>
<p>Back in the day, impacted teeth had to be removed.</p>
<p>I would recommend you have this done by a real dentist rather than the Navy body shop. I had all 4 (only 1 impacted) removed before I-Day.</p>
<p>That said, and despite the fact my mom was one, I am not a dentist, nor do I play one on the internet.</p>
<p>hello~
i'm going to west point, but i think the policy is similar if not the same. my dentist said i don't need to get mine extracted for another 2-3 yrs also, but it is a good idea to get it done now. plus, at any academy, worrying about teeth is one thing you'd want to avoid, with all the other stresses...so, lucky me, i get to spend my spring break with chipmunk cheeks! yippie...
all i know is, i'd much rather have my bone drilled by a doctor i trust than someone i don't really know...</p>
<p>meg</p>
<p>Damn that sucks for yall, my wisdom teeth came in perfectly, let alone while I was in the navy. Fortunately I didn't have to go to the navy body shop. But I did have to take care of quite a few butcher jobs, when they got back. That is never a good sight seeing blood dripping out of someones mouth because the navy pulled there wisdom teeth. Although rather funny when they wake up in the morning screaming. HAHAHA! Ok I guess thats enough sadism for now. Good luck and best wishes. I'd get them out!</p>
<p>haha even luckier, born without wisdom teeth.</p>
<p>Last year DocFrance was asked about this, his answer was if you were medical passed by DODMERB with wisdom teeth don't mess with them.</p>
<p>There are things that can happen to you when you have oral surgery. You would hate to risk losing your slot, because you got dry socks or other complications. </p>
<p>He thought the main reason is that the Dental clinic want to lighten their load.</p>
<p>We have 5 children who all needed braces ( genetics works!) and all had to have their wisdom teeth removed in their teens. So it was no surprise to see the USNA request to have wisdom teeth our our USNA bound young lady, dealt with BEFORE I-Day. Our dentist and oral surgeon took a look at our kiddos xrays and both determined that while it's 2-3 years before the wisdom teeth even stand a chance of becoming a problem ( some haven't even completely formed yet) - the timing is much easier younger, rather than older, and sooner rather than later. </p>
<p>The removal is set for the monday of spring break.</p>
<p>Having been through this process 4 times, plus my own in my teens, I definitely concur that doing it earlier before any problems works well.</p>
<p>Thankfully, had mine done a couple of years ago.<br>
Be diligent...invest in frozen vegetables and a blender.</p>
<p>i'm with you Wheelah44 -- born without wisdom teeth. i'm not complaining.</p>
<p>Jake is going to the oral surgeon this Friday for extractions. Two are impacted, two just forming. This is no big deal for the oral surgeon. Way better that having the general dentist remove them. A lot less hassle, he can go to sleep and thats what the oral surgeon does all day long.</p>
<p>What happened to the saying, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." Yes, extracting wisdom teeth is not major surgery, but complications do arise especially if they are impacted. Typically, if you begin having trouble with your wisdom teeth, it is not something that has to be addressed that day. My letter states it is recommended that any potential dental problems be addressed prior to arrival. You are expected to have no dental disease. I'm with AFA81 on this one.
I think I will make a phone call tomorrow and investigate this a little further before I send my child to the oral surgeons office...</p>
<p>I'm with AFA81 and beam6 on this one! I was told to get mine out before I went in, then again at boot camp, then again in nuke school, then several times on the submarine. Finally, I had all three of them pulled a month before I got out because I really liked the dentist (navy CDR - see below) up at NPTU Balston Spa at the time. So I went almost 10 years with zero problems and no punitive side effects.</p>
<p>Now, of course there are extremes and If the course of the impacted tooth is such that it is inevitable that it will impact on the nerve of the tooth next to it in a short time....very well, then get them out. Inquire and be convinced only by the evidence! Otherwise, tread conservatively, because the Navy will be quite insistent on taking them out for you if it really is an accute issue. It is civilian dentistry's job to find thinks to charge you money for in your mouth! Never forget that!</p>
<p>Personally, I would not risk surgery before I-day unless USNA requested action or DoDMERB flagged it. As a matter of fact, you will have to report and document results before reporting.</p>
<p>Side story on that navy CDR who told me I never had a cavity in my lifetime (I was flabbergasted by that suggestion, since I had a mouth FULL of silver colored metal!). Anyway, I ended up trusting him (first and ONLY dentist I've ever really trusted), and of course I was saving the cash I would have to spend to have them removed after departing from the service. I was 29 years old and the procedure was no big deal, including recovery ( a couple days of oral pain killers).</p>
<p>My Mid did not have his wisdom teeth out prior to I-Day. With sports and commitments there was simply no convenient time to do it. During his Plebe year, he had them extracted at the Academy. They did a good job, he had no complications and furthermore, we did not have to pay for it! I know that they would LIKE for your to get it done, but there are many incoming Plebes that have not had it done. Do not stress if you cannot get it accomplished before I-Day.</p>
<p>USNA Mom-
Why did your Mid have his teeth pulled? Was he having problems?</p>
<p>Wisdom teeth are to dentists what acne is to dermatologists: retirement fund$$$</p>
<p>a former teacher at usna (he's the nephew of a lady at my church) said to call Rita Wacker at 410 293 1817--she's the person who handles all dental and medical issues with admissions for usna. so that's what i'll be doing tonight, and i'll get back with ya'll.</p>
<p>The rationale for having wisdom teeth pulled is because some Navy installations do not have the facilities to do complex dental procedures.<br>
I would strongly suggest that you have them removed BEFORE entering the Academy. Our daughter's teeth didn't look like they were ever going to erupt (she has only 3), and guess what??? they began to erupt during finals. She had horrible headaches, and hated to be "teething." There is really no "Good" time to have them taken out...her schedule is just too busy. So she is coping with the discomfort and we are urging her to pay special attention to brushing them extra well to avoid decay.
Guess what she'll be doing during her Summer Leave at home??? Goody, Goody!!</p>
<p>PS I'd get them out by a home town doc who you know well and does a great job...nothing against military dentists...but boy could I tell you one about having mine removed during the summer at McGuire AFB (NOT GOOD)!</p>
<p>Basically, they want you to have your wisdom teeth out prior to graduation. There may not be dental care available at all times once you are deployed with the fleet or on a Marine Corps assignment. Would you like to be under the sea on a sub for many months and develop a problem with your teeth? What about special ops and other field assignments. Just one less thing to worry about.</p>
<p>I'll remind everyone that midshipmen train with the fleet during the summers.</p>
<p>It would suck to be in the middle of the Pacific and have a flareup.</p>
<p>Yank them while you're still in peace, is my view.</p>
<p>Maybe I am just too compliant, but if the directions say to "get all impacted wisdom teeth removed before reporting on I-day," that is what I would do. Isn't following directions (orders) a big part of the committment to the military?
CM</p>