I have a carny mouth. Should I get dental insurance before I decide to take care of it? No pain, but several cavities and a few teeth (including two wisdom teeth) have been rotting and falling apart for several years. 4-6 years ago, a dental school said that it would cost 4-5 thousand dollars and take 3-4 visits to fix. That doesn't include getting them whitened or anything cosmetic. Today, one of my molars broke in half and I swallowed it with some wasabi trail mix. That tooth only had a little speck of a cavity yesterday. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 9, 2009 - 19 answers

WisdomTeethFilter: I had my bottom two out yesterday afternoon. After changing the gauze the first time, I noticed I had little stringy, thin tissues hanging from each hole. I called my surgeon, who said losing these initial clots was normal and not dry socket. Problem is, they haven't dissolved or broken off like I hoped. I'm worried they'll end up pulling up my real clots out. So, should I cut them? Pull them? Leave 'em be? [more inside]
posted by miniminimarket on Jan 11, 2009 - 11 answers

WisdomToothFilter. My previous dentist told me I had impacted wisdom teeth, which might need future attention. I now have toothache in the bottom-right of my jaw. New dentist says I have an infection there and has prescribed me antibiotics. However, he says the problem is the top-right tooth which is pressing down in the wrong place, and it's the top one that needs to be extracted. Is it valid to remove the tooth that's not giving me a problem? [more inside]
posted by TheophileEscargot on Sep 12, 2008 - 22 answers

I've got a wisdom tooth partly in. While it's not causing me discomfort, it smells weird and I think I've found the medical name for it: operculum. Suggestions? Experiences? More inside. [more inside]
posted by GilloD on Nov 19, 2007 - 22 answers

Care to share your tips for coping post-tooth removal? [more inside]
posted by Dreama on Oct 16, 2006 - 20 answers