Had mine out at 17. Was offered a local anesthetic, big MAN that I am, then he brought out his tools and I opted for a general. He shopped at the same dental supply store as Orin Scrivello.
Anyone who, as a child, has ever had the misfortune of seeing Dustin Hoffman/Laurence Olivier in the Marathon Man, can relate to an unfounded fear of dentistry. I leave handprints in the arms of the chairs when I go in for cleanings. A few years ago, my lower wisdom teeth that had grown at a forward angle had started breaking the adjacent molars. Not bad at the start, but as time went on, the pain went from annoying to intermittent unbearable to just unbearable. I had reached the pain level neccessary to override my fear of the dentist. I made the appointment to the oral surgeon who assessed the situation then made an appointment for the surgery. He gave me a prescription for a pill that I was to take an hour before my appointment. I vaguely remember sitting in the waiting room and the gas did the rest. Afterwards, I shook my head that I had allowed myself to endure such prolonged intense pain when the fix paled in comparison. As my father had asked me during this time, "Do you want a lot of pain all the time, or a little pain all at once?". Get her done guys. You will thank yourself once you do. IT IS SAFE...