How many teeth do you have?

[roster]

This is a poll for people with obstructive sleep apnea and/or UARS.

This condition (sleep-disordered breathing or SDB) is known in most cases to be caused by craniofacial problems. That is, some of the various bones of the skull and/or face are abnormal and this abnormality results in a narrow airway which is prone to blockages and/or unhealthy airway restrictions.

In a patient with SDB typically the jaw has not fully developed. The jaw is narrow side-to-side and/or front-to-back.

Some signs of an underdeveloped jaw are crooked teeth, crowded teeth, and missing third molars (wisdom teeth).

For instance, I have a moderately underdeveloped jaw. Due to lack of space in the jaw, the wisdom teeth on one side failed to develop and the wisdom teeth on the other side were impacted and were removed surgically. So I am left with 28 teeth.

So how many teeth (of your own growth ) do you have? Go to the mirror and count them. You might be surprised.

(See also viewtopic/t53983/Discussion-of-Small-Ja ... Apnea.html)

[TalonNYC]

I'm in the same boat as you, Rooster, except that all four of my wisdom teeth had to be removed. One had impacted, the other 3 were developing, but already showed signs of heading for impaction, and so were removed at the same time.

The dentist looked at the x-ray and said "oh yeah, they're all coming out."

[roster]

I'm in the same boat as you, Rooster, except that all four of my wisdom teeth had to be removed. One had impacted, the other 3 were developing, but already showed signs of heading for impaction, and so were removed at the same time.

The dentist looked at the x-ray and said "oh yeah, they're all coming out."

I remember reading, maybe ten years ago, a group of dentists saying that the technology was available to identify in very small children whether there would be room in their jaws for wisdom teeth when they got older. Furthermore, they had learned how to make a slight cut at that young age to "nip the wisdom teeth in the bud" so that they would never develop and the problems with impaction would be avoided.

I guess most of us here now know the proper thing would be some type of orthodontia or appliance (DNA appliance for example) on those young children which would cause their jaws to develop beautifully and allow the space for the wisdom teeth.

[TalonNYC]

In my case, it wasn't until I was 20. Not a sign of them before that, in one year they went from "I don't see them" to "they have to come out"

[roster]

In my case, it wasn't until I was 20. Not a sign of them before that, in one year they went from "I don't see them" to "they have to come out"

I am under the impression that wisdom teeth do not develop until late teens or early twenties. I wonder if that is nature or if it is because of our underdeveloped jaws?

I am sure some member can inform us.

[Slinky]

A good question for Dr Steven Y Park!!!

[DennisG]

I am lucky enough to have a triple whammy with my 28 teeth.

1. I had orthodontic work starting when I was 11, wearing headgear for 4 years pulling my upper teeth back to correct an overbite.

2. I had 6 wisdom teeth, 5 impacted in the bone, removed when I was 20.

3. I have 2 large bony growths on the inside of my lower jaw called "mandibular tori' that make even less room for my tongue.

Fortunately, when my kids needed orthodontic work, we found an orthodontist that used a process to make their jaws larger to accommodate their teeth. Hopefully it will keep them from having jaw room issues in the future.

Dennis

[chunkyfrog]

25; I never have had wisdom teeth.
My dentist excised my lower 12-year molars before referring me to an orthodontist.
The ortho said," He didn't need to do that."

[roster]

1. I had orthodontic work starting when I was 11, wearing headgear for 4 years pulling my upper teeth back to correct an overbite.

Very unfortunately this makes the upper jaw shorter (front to back) and leaves less room for the airway.

So sorry Dennis.

"First do no harm."

[DennisG]

1. I had orthodontic work starting when I was 11, wearing headgear for 4 years pulling my upper teeth back to correct an overbite.

Very unfortunately this makes the upper jaw shorter (front to back) and leaves less room for the airway.

So sorry Dennis.

"First do no harm."

I guess they did not know about this issue 40 years ago. At least that is what I want to believe as my orthodontist seemed like a very sharp guy.

Dennis

[chunkyfrog]

--"No harm"? Isn't that just talk?
From bloodletting to blind orthodontia, to the pharmacological Pandora's box of today--
And they can't figure out why they get no respect.
Aw, gee whiz!

[Bons]

Chunkyfrog,
I feel your pain. I had a jerk of a dentist who used to slap his wife/hygenist across the face while working on my teeth. He convinced my parents to let him pull my eye teeth and put braces on my upper teeth. I still have large spaces and can never convince other dentists that I had braces. When I was in high school he convniced my parents to let him pull my twelve year old molars to make room for my (underdeveloped, never fully came in) wisdom teeth. Thankfully he lost his license before he could do any more damage! Turns out he wasn't paying income tax, so bye bye practice!
As a result I have a weird bite from missing two sets of molars. But a normal sized jaw.

[LoQ]

Eight teeth removed to make room for the remaining 24, and there are absolutely no gaps between those.

[Otter]

One theory on why so many are like this is that it's the consequence of our modern diet. It doesn't make sense that we'd evolve to have too many teeth and not be able to breathe at night, so I think there's probably something to it.
http://www.westonaprice.org/dentistry/1 ... apnea.html

[Oakenpeg]

I've never had wisdom teeth. A dentist told me (40 years ago) that I probably don't have an appendix either.

Oakenpeg (Herbypeg's other identity-- can't log in)