wisdom teeth

P

pfhsfco

5-Year Member
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Jan 6, 2012
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So apparently my invitation to report this summer isn't being extended to my wisdom teeth. The appointee handbook is the 1st thing I've seen that says appointees should have their wisdom teeth removed at least 6 weeks before reporting. Anybody else get blind-sided by this? Seeing the oral surgeon this week.:eek:
 
"Should" in AF-speak means "recommended," generally speaking.
 
If you search the site, this issue comes up every year. Last year appointees were not required to have their wisdom teeth removed before reporting. But if they did have their wisdom teeth removed it was recommended that the procedure be done at least 6 weeks prior to reporting to allow for a full recovery. This is important. DS had a buddy who had issues during BCT that were a result of his oral surgery. So if your are going to have the procedure, the sooner the better.

DS did have his wisdom teeth removed as they were going to have to come out sometime soon anyway but he had them done well before BCT. It is possible to have the procedure while a cadet but recovery is just tougher.
 
If your wisdom teeth are fine where they are for now, leave them in. USAFA will take them out in a few years if you want to be a pilot.

If you expect to have problems with them in the next 5 months, get them out NOW. The handbook is trying to prevent candidates from having oral surgery a week before I-day, and then gettig a medical-turnback worthy infection.

I still have mine, but they're coming out next fall.
 
All four gone

My son's dentist recommended he have his out as the two lower ones were impacted. He had them taken out last week (Spring Break). One is causing a bit of difficulty because it was deeper and at an odd angle. Glad it was done now so that it's one less thing for him to worry about at the academy.
 
My DD (now a Firstie) was evaluated by two oral surgeons in our area her senior year of high school -- both said there was no reason to remove her wisdom teeth and neither would undertake the procedure -- so she went to the Academy with wisdom teeth in place. Academy required her to have wisdom teeth removed her junior year (she was not having problems -- concern was possibility of future problems). She had a very difficult recovery -- infection, IV antibiotics, multiple trips in and out of base hospital, an additional surgical prcoedure, etc. Eventually -- more than a month -- things improved and she eventually healed. The point of the story being -- even if the Academy recommends, suggests, etc. that teeth be removed before inprocessing, oral surgeons may not see the need when cadet is 17 or 18 and may not be willing to remove. Things may be different a couple of years down the road.
 
Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I think I remember reading somewhere in the sea of information that having wisdom teeth in can greatly delay pilot training-- close to a year at most? My mom is pushing to get mine removed before it's too late, just in case they end up causing problems.
 
Does Air Force Academy use Oral Surgeons or dentists to remove wisdom teeth?
 
I had two wisdom teeth removed about six months before Inprocessing, and for some reason they waited until my junior year at USAFA to remove the other two. Anyways, there's no hard and fast rule either way. Just make sure they're not a problem during basic...that can mean either remove them well before basic, or wait and let USAFA remove them during the academic year.
 
Though you may miss a few days of school or work for the surgery, you probably won't miss your wisdom teeth once they're gone, because we don't use them anymore.
 
Seeing as the above poster is only posting on threads regarding wisdom teeth (and has a blue link signature saying find dentist) I am guessing we have a spammer!

My apologies to james if you are here for other reasons, just find it strange that you are pulling up threads that are almost 7 months old, and in all honesty right now not even near the top of the list of concerns for candidates. The appointment is their top concern. Now come April when the appointees get their packages they will want to talk about their wisdom teeth. Hence, why I apologize in advance if I am making the assumption with your blue tag line that you are a dentist and this is a way to get new business.
 
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Spammer for sure, PIMA!

x x x


My sons STILL have their wisdom teeth.
 
I had mine when I showed up, although my dentist at home said I should get them removed because they were coming in at odd angles. During freshman year, I made an appointment and had them removed. Everything went fine there and other than a couple days of bedrest I didn't miss anything. Air Force paid for it, and it didn't affect my UPT at all.
 
For candidates that are concerned about wisdom teeth, when you do your bi-annual check up, discuss this issue. If you do cleanings 2x a yr., than even at the latest by May you will know if they have to come out.

All 3 of my kids have their wisdom teeth, including our DS at UPT. They came in perfectly fine, but their dentist started watching the teeth via x-rays when they were about 15 or 16. Their wisdom teeth was always a topic of subject after every cleaning until the dentist knew that they were not impacted.
 
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