Wisdom tooth extraction - should I get 2nd opinion?

[TheLeadbetterLife]

I went to the dentist yesterday for a supposedly routine filling, but the dentist announced that because the cavity was on a molar that had an impacted wisdom tooth against it, I will need to have the wisdom tooth out first.

I'm sceptical of this for several reasons:

• the wisdom tooth erupted years ago, well over fifteen, probably nearer twenty and has always been impacted
• I've never had a lick of pain, trouble or infection from it
• the dentist has had my x-ray for months, and set up this treatment plan for the filling ages ago, and has only just now mentioned the wisdom tooth

I live in a country now where private dentists are the only option, and they're always bloody up-selling, so I never know whether to trust them. When I was in the UK my NHS dentist said my teeth were in great shape and the impacted wisdom teeth weren't a problem.

The treatment isn't expensive, I just don't want unnecessary extractions. My mum got a brain abscess after a dental treatment and nearly died, so I'm wary of any pointless faffing about with my teeth.

Should I get a second opinion? Or rather, a third opinion, as this dentist is the second one I've been to, after the first one reeled off a huge list of treatments I didn't need, according to the second one. Though the first one never mentioned extracting the wisdom tooth either.

If the wisdom tooth is impacted against the tooth that needs a filling and the decay is where it meets the tooth, then yes the wisdom tooth needs to come out before the tooth is filled. The wisdom tooth gets wedged into the decay and the bands we use to shape the filling won't seat down.
Otherwise get another opinion.
I'm UK based and we are very conservative about removing wisdom teeth- in other Countries they are less so and there are strong arguments both ways of risk versus benefit.

When my dentist changed, the new dentist reeled off a list of things that needed done for teeth that have never caused me a day’s bother. I refused; that was several years ago and bar the odd filling my teeth have been fine.

I would go back and ask the same question you’ve said here- if it’s so important, how come the dentist hasn’t mentioned it until now, and if you refuse to have the wisdom tooth out, what’s her plan now?

Thank you. The decay is on the other side of the tooth, and she said she didn't know if there was any decay between the wisdom tooth and the molar - she said it didn't show on the x ray.

What annoys me about it is that I've had two other fillings with her in the last few weeks and this is the first time she's mentioned this issue. The final filling on this molar was always planned, so why only bring the wisdom tooth up now? It makes me not trust her on several levels.

@TheLeadbetterLife what was removed in the end the wisdom ?