Wisdom teeth

Waterbug · Feb 23, 2009

Hi Is it mandantory for wisdom teeth to be pulled for usmma Thanks

KPMarineopsdad · Feb 24, 2009

The short answer is yes. They do not want you in some foreign port with less than optimum health facilities with impacted/infected teeth.

Waterbug · Feb 24, 2009

Thank you I guess they notify you when you are accepted. Ive searched the site and cant find any info

J Collins · Feb 24, 2009

https://info.usmma.edu/webcandlog.htm

here is the web candidate information page, but you have to have your candidate number to log into it.

KPMarineopsdad · Feb 24, 2009

It's best to have it done before you report. You can have it done after but, Once you start up it is going to be really hard to find the time. The demands on your time ramp up very quickly. I also seem to recall a minimum recovery time before you report for Indoc. Given the fact that it can be very hard to find an oral surgeon on short notice I would advise anyone who has received an appointment to start looking now. We ended up having to drive half way across town

Waterbug · Feb 24, 2009

Thanks again KP Will do soon as he recieves appointment Still waiting.hopefully not much longer

toddman10 · Feb 24, 2009

When the Oral surgeon is writing to dodmerb with confirmation that recovery was complete should the letter simply be adressed to whom it may concern?

I just had my wisdom teeth out last week and I want to get the letters out to Dodmerb and the academies asap.

Mindy G · Feb 25, 2009

Wisdom Teeth Recovery

Get then out before you report and leave time for recovery. The first day is not great but then you have swelling. Eating for my son was instant mashed potatoes with cheese, ice cream, jello and pudding - approx 5 days. Would have hated to see him hitting the books during this time. Now it is done and he is fine and ready to report!!!

RetNavyHM · Feb 25, 2009

toddman10 said:
When the Oral surgeon is writing to dodmerb with confirmation that recovery was complete should the letter simply be adressed to whom it may concern?

I just had my wisdom teeth out last week and I want to get the letters out to Dodmerb and the academies asap.

toddman10,

To whom it may concern will work.

2013Parent · May 26, 2009

KPMarineopsdad said:
The short answer is yes. They do not want you in some foreign port with less than optimum health facilities with impacted/infected teeth.

Son had his out Friday ....no complications...yet......

Our family Dr. was really shaking his head over this......He made a valid observation; "If they are so worried about things like this, why are they not demanding his appendix be removed as well? You can die from a ruptured appendix pretty quickly!"

KPMarineopsdad · May 26, 2009

I'm just guessing here, but, polices like this are often driven by something that occurred in the past. Sometimes, so long ago that few, if any, remember the particular event.

Coastie for Life · May 26, 2009

Wisdom Teeth Removal

My daughter had her wisdom teeth removed during her spring break prior to her reporting into USMMA. We did want her to have problems. The recovery was good, and it was better for her to be home than have it done away at school. Keep that in mind as well..they do not get the pampering like they do at home.

kp2001 · May 27, 2009

2013Parent said:
Son had his out Friday ....no complications...yet......

Our family Dr. was really shaking his head over this......He made a valid observation; "If they are so worried about things like this, why are they not demanding his appendix be removed as well? You can die from a ruptured appendix pretty quickly!"

Because the number of young adults who will suffer consequences from impacted wisdom teeth is much greater than the number of young adults who will have appendicitis.

Anyone want to guess what was probably number 2 or 3 on the list of things that prevented people from deploying in the recent conflicts?......Dental issues!

2013Parent · May 27, 2009

kp2001 said:
Because the number of young adults who will suffer consequences from impacted wisdom teeth is much greater than the number of young adults who will have appendicitis.

Anyone want to guess what was probably number 2 or 3 on the list of things that prevented people from deploying in the recent conflicts?......Dental issues!

There is much disageement regarding the wholesale removal of wisdom teeth/third molars. Statistics can be found to support a strong case against.
Go online, go to a library, talk to more than one DMD or DDS. Opinions and statistics are all over the map.

The term; "Dental Issues" is a red herring that does not exclusively mean problems from third molars. Comparing third molar issues with acute appendecitis for young adults age 18-24 ( probably the age range of the VAST majority of candidates and midshipmen) would be the relevant comparsion. That is what my triple boarded family doctor was referring to.

We (the responsible adult parents of a minor child) did not make this decision lighly. The rules for the Academy are clear and firm. Therefore, the only thing left for us to do was evaluate and weigh all options, for post high school education, as we advised our son about HIS choices and His preferences.

The teeth are out, the decison is clear. That does not mean anyone in our family is convinced it was medically necessary.

kp2001 · May 27, 2009

2013Parent said:
There is much disageement regarding the wholesale removal of wisdom teeth/third molars. Statistics can be found to support a strong case against.
Go online, go to a library, talk to more than one DMD or DDS. Opinions and statistics are all over the map.

The term; "Dental Issues" is a red herring that does not exclusively mean problems from third molars. Comparing third molar issues with acute appendecitis for young adults age 18-24 ( probably the age range of the VAST majority of candidates and midshipmen) would be the relevant comparsion. That is what my triple boarded family doctor was referring to.

We (the responsible adult parents of a minor child) did not make this decision lighly. The rules for the Academy are clear and firm. Therefore, the only thing left for us to do was evaluate and weigh all options, for post high school education, as we advised our son about HIS choices and His preferences.

The teeth are out, the decison is clear. That does not mean anyone in our family is convinced it was medically necessary.

Is it medically necessary? Nope
Is it operationally necessary? Absolutely

There is a reason why the military has their own medical system. Although we practice medicine very similarly to the civilian world we have many issues that civilian doctors simply don't have to think about on a daily basis. Has your "triple boarded family doctor" ever had to think through whether he should allow someone who has a history of kidney stones be go on a deployment to the desert? Or how about allowing someone who is taking certain medicines to pilot his aircraft or not? What if that pilot is the only person who can perform a certain, time critical mission? How about whether it is safe to allow a helicopter crew to take off in terrible weather to medevac a person from a merchant ship because they are having uncontrollable pain due to impacted third molars?

I'm not here to question your family doc's credentials or thought processes; however, in the military there is more to the medical decision tree than "is this medically necessary?"

Could you apply this same theory to appendicitis, sure; however, the mortality and morbidity associated with an appy (laproscopic or open) is considerably higher than with third molar extraction which is a fairly benign procedure.

As to the whole debate about parental rights: well, once a child joins the military you can throw those out the window pretty much. The choice is made by joining the military.

2013Parent · May 27, 2009

kp2001 said:
Is it medically necessary? Nope
Is it operationally necessary? Absolutely

There is a reason why the military has their own medical system. Although we practice medicine very similarly to the civilian world we have many issues that civilian doctors simply don't have to think about on a daily basis. Has your "triple boarded family doctor" ever had to think through whether he should allow someone who has a history of kidney stones be go on a deployment to the desert? Or how about allowing someone who is taking certain medicines to pilot his aircraft or not? What if that pilot is the only person who can perform a certain, time critical mission? How about whether it is safe to allow a helicopter crew to take off in terrible weather to medevac a person from a merchant ship because they are having uncontrollable pain due to impacted third molars?

I'm not here to question your family doc's credentials or thought processes; however, in the military there is more to the medical decision tree than "is this medically necessary?"

Could you apply this same theory to appendicitis, sure; however, the mortality and morbidity associated with an appy (laproscopic or open) is considerably higher than with third molar extraction which is a fairly benign procedure.

As to the whole debate about parental rights: well, once a child joins the military you can throw those out the window pretty much. The choice is made by joining the military.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

kdbax · May 28, 2009

Well, our family dentist refused to pull son's wisdom teeth. He signed the waiver form, so I guess we'll see where we go from there.

2013Parent · May 28, 2009

kdbax said:
Well, our family dentist refused to pull son's wisdom teeth. He signed the waiver form, so I guess we'll see where we go from there.

I hope it works out for you and your Candidate. Really.

Our family dentist refused as well. Based on info received from many sources (USMMA,this site, Alumni, local parent group members) we contacted an Oral Surgeon that was more than happy to do the job for a mere $2,500. That happens to be another side of this discussion among many folks.....the financial windfall this type of thing is for providers of service. Especially, when most do agree that complication risk is relatively low.

Mindy G · May 28, 2009

Our son had his out, the oral surgeon had no problem doing the procedure when we explained why. Why create a problem, when you don't have to is my motto. For those who decide not to do it. I hope it works out.

luv2fly · May 28, 2009

Our son had his out also. No problems. Avoiding any potential problems while at sea (obviously this was a problem for someone in the past or they would not have instituted this requirement), was certainly worth the small risk involved in the procedure.

Has everyone seen the movie Castaway. You don't want a dental problem while in the middle of the Seven Seas.

luv2fly