When I visited my dentist for my last checkup, she told me that I have impacted wisdom teeth and she wants to remove them. They are not bothering me. Should I see a specialist if I decide to have them removed? What should I do?

Having regular dental checkups with x-rays allows you to learn about potential problems and have them corrected BEFORE they begin to bother you. There are a number of reasons for recommending removal of un-erupted or impacted teeth. Your dentist may have seen that these teeth could cause problems for the adjacent teeth if left in place. There is also the possibility that you could develop such things as a cyst or abscess if left in place. General dentists who provide any specialty service such as root canal treatment, braces, oral surgery (removes teeth with special care) or periodontal surgery are required by law to adhere to the same standard of care provided by a specialist Your dentist should be happy to talk more with you about this. If you still have questions, you might want to see another dentist for a second opinion.