Wisdom tooth removal on the 17th :(

cougar

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I just setup an appointment for removing all 4 of my wisdom teeth on the 17th of December.
Im a little bit worried. The doctor told me all the things that could possibly go wrong (worst case senario, but still), and it has me a little shook up.
Has anyone else gone through this? Does it hurt? How long did it take to fully recover?
Also, they offered me either a local anestetic(sp?) or an IV sedation method. Im thinking the IV right now, because I don't want to hear them pulling my teeth out!
The only problem to that is I completely freak out when I see a needle near me.

Any replies are welcome,

Peace,
Brandon

I just though of something, is the local anastetic a needle too? Like the one they use for cavity removal???
 

KittenKrazy

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I had all of mine taken out in 1987. Not as bad as you would think....but take the IV method! I don't recall having a choice, they just put me out. Be sure to have someone to drive you home and get your medications for you. And plenty of soup for the first few days.
One of mine broke into peices when they went to cut it out, and it was the only one that gave me any trouble, it didn't want to stop bleeding when it should have.
As a matter of fact, the worse thing for me was that my dentist made a stich from top to bottom on both sides to keep ole bigmouth here from opening too wide for a week!
Good luck and update us!
 

suzy

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Brandon, I think it all has to do with how far in the teeth are, as well as what kind of shape they are in.

The first two that I had out I had a general anesthesia, so yep, that means a needle. However, those had been causing all sorts of problems and I was already in bad pain by the time I got them removed. That one took longer for recovery (I had stitches in my mouth), but the dentist gave me good pain meds, so I really don't recall much pain. I think it took about a week to feel like I was really all better for those, but again, I had been having lots of problems already.

The next two that I had out were actually grown in too far, so it was done quickly in the dentist's office. A little novocaine, one big crack on each side, and they were out. I think the actual extractions took less than 5 minutes total, and the recovery was minimal - I was fine to go to work the next day. A little tylenol took care of any discomfort.

Good luck!!
 

debby

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I have only had to have one removed so far. They gave me shots and the gas. The gas made me giggle and I remember telling them it must be working because I was giggling and there was absolutely nothing funny about the whole situation. I won't kid you...it wasn't fun, but if it makes you feel any better...I would choose it any day over child birth!
 

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I've taken all mine out last year. They told me to go rinse my mouth out sometime after the removal. I did it on the exact time they told me, and I got dizzy and passed out. And the walk to the bedroom and the bathroom is around 10 feet.. They said I was gasping for air, shaking my head with my eyes wide open. No idea what happened, but it was the only time it happened.

I ran out of clean stuff to soak the blood out of my mouth too.. It was just gross and really sore. And to be honest, the pain that the teeth caused is still there.
 

jenng

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Originally posted by Cougar
Has anyone else gone through this? Does it hurt? How long did it take to fully recover?
Also, they offered me either a local anestetic(sp?) or an IV sedation method. Im thinking the IV right now, because I don't want to hear them pulling my teeth out!
The only problem to that is I completely freak out when I see a needle near me.

I just though of something, is the local anastetic a needle too? Like the one they use for cavity removal???
Hi Brandon.


I had my wisdom teeth out when I was 17 (I think). I had to have all 4 extracted because they were impacted, all facing foward instead of upwards, with my nerves wound around the roots of them. They had to go in surgically, break apart each tooth, and remove the pieces. Sounds like great fun, right?

And actually, it was probably the easiest surgery I could hope for. They did give me an IV to put me out, but because I explained my issue with IVs (I've had to be restrained before), they sprayed this stuff on my arm where they were going to stick the needle in. It made my arm completely NUMB! I couldn't feel a thing at all. And the next thing I knew, I was awake, trying to locate my chapstick. (I'm a chapstick addict.)

And the pain afterwards was minimal if at all existant. They gave me hydrocodone for the pain, and said to take it like every 4 hours or whatever for the first couple days. Well, I woke up (you'll sleep a lot after the surgery), I took 2 pills as instructed, and immediately hurled them back up - whole. (I found out later I have an intolerance to hydrocodone). In any event, I went the whole recovery without any pain medication, and it didn't even phase me.

I had the surgery on a Wednesday. By Thursday I was eating soft foods (non-liquid), and by Friday, I was out of the house. I was still careful because the wounds are new, but I was able to eat soft french fries.

The only thing I thought was unpleasant was the changing of the cotton in my mouth. I mean, I know it was there to soak up blood, but as blood makes me squimish, it wasn't the greatest thing for me.

Hope your surgery goes as well as mine did. It really was a piece of cake.
 
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cougar

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I want to go with the IV but Im not sure if its worth the extra $180. Doesn't sound like its too much fun
, but I guess it has to be done. The doc said my wisdom teeth are growing in the right direction, they're just crowding my other teeth. He also said the extraction would be easy, and estimated about 45 minutes.
Debby,

There is a bright side though
If it doesn't go to well, I get to miss school!

Thanks everyone,
Peace,
Brandon
 

creepyowl

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I got mine taken out. They were done 2 at a time. I loved it!! I thought it was the coolest thing I ever had done. I still have them in a little box.
 
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cougar

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Jgaruba, yeah I have the same problem with needles
I just can't stand them at all. People usually have to hold down my arm, and I once almost passed out just at the sight of one. Its funny, I don't have a problem with the pain, its just the idea of needls.
I hope my surgery goes as well as yours, and mines on a wednesday too (mabye wednesdays good-luck
)
Creepyowl, I don't think I'll be looking back on it as a day I liked
hehehe

Peace,
Brandon
 

pollyanna

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If the wisdom teeth are the ones in the far back, then I know a lot of people who have had them taken out. I seem to have enough space for mine, so I guess they will be staying.
From what I have heard, it is a piece of cake if they are far up, or allmost up, but more hazzle if they are still in the bone.
The afterwards is not fun for a couple of days, but with some pain killers and ice cream and soup and some good videos or books it will pass quicly!
Good luck!
 

jasminecat

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Hi Brandon, I'm a dental student and have done a few extractions at my teaching hospital.
The wisdom teeth are the eighth teeth at the back, so if you count from the centre or midline it will be the eighth tooth back. Most cases here are done under local anaesthetic, which does involve needles. You shouldn't be worried about the injection as it really shouldn't hurt, the needle is so fine that pain will be minimal. Also i don't know what you have available in the US but in the UK we can use a topical anaesthetic first, for children or a nervous patient. Really you should relax, just remember the injection part is the easy bit, the dentist will have done it many times before and it is an easy proceedure. The worst thing you could do is push the dentists hand while he is injecting you.
Sedation here is offered to very anxious and dental phobic patients, and is only carried out in hospitals. It does affect patients in different ways, ie laughing etc, some patients go totally out of it. So if you are so anxious to the point where you think you won't be able to take the proccedure, then go for sedation.
Whats more in your first post you said your dentist said that your teeth are growing in the right direction, this makes the extraction alot easier and it means that there will be a much smaller chance of them having to drill away the bone. One thing....the actual extraction would only take a few minutes in this simple case, the apparent length of time will actually due to the sedation.

Please don't be put off by the horror stories, complications are far and few in between. It always makes me chuckle when i hear some of the stories written on many message boards on the net.... people really do like dramaticising events, sometimes they can appear worse than what they are.
Sorry for the long post, any other questions don't hesitate to ask
 

dougbug

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hey i wish you well when you get this done, i have had only 1 of mine taken out, they put me sleep because mine was in bad shape and was going to be diff. to get out, you can eat soup but not real hot just warm, that is what the Dr. told me, and also a lot of pudding, yummmmm i liked that... it wasnt all that bad and i went back to work after the weekend.... good luck and hope you do well
 

auroraviva

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Brandon, I just had mine taken out a couple years ago and let me promise you, it was no where NEAR as bad as I thought it would be. They didn't give me a choice with the anesthesia, they gave me an IV, even though I begged them to just sedate since I am also afraid of needles. I have actually fainted from shots before. And yes, the local is a shot, actually several shots, directly in your mouth. They have to give you like 2 or 3 at least per incision site, so with four teeth . . . you're talking at least 8 to 12 shots in your mouth, if you're lucky. I know this from various other oral surgeries I've had. I'd go for the IV. I only ever had an IV with my wisdom teeth, and it's much easier.


Anyway, you'll miss school that day, I can almost guarantee it. I had mine done on a Friday, and was out of it all weekend. It's not that your mouth hurts so bad . . . they give you pain-killers (I had hydrocodone) that knock you on your butt. Assuming your doctor is in fact going to give you some sort of pain medicine (I've never heard of one that didn't), you might not be able to drive while you're on them, a lot of those medicines say not to operate a vehicle. Just a heads-up, in case you drive yourself to school.
But you'll get to eat all the ice cream, smoothies, slushies, or whatever other kind of food like that you want.


Anyway, I'm about the biggest wuss you'll ever find, when it comes to having anything done like that, and I thought it was fine. And my teeth were all the way down at the bone. I think having braces is worse, personally. The only part that's not so fun is you look like a chipmunk for a few days cuz your cheeks are swelled up.
Good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else, I know I grilled everyone I knew about it before I had it done.
 

katl8e

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I've had two removed (one at a time), with local anesthesia and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). If yours are impacted and they're going after 4, I'd opt for the general.

As for the needles, a little topical Benzocaine works wonders on the gums and, after the intial stick, you don't feel anything anyway.
 

ttmom

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Cougar:

They'll probably do a palatal (sp?) which hurts like crazy, but then you can't feel anything at all. They had to give me two (I'm not very sensitive to pain meds or way too sensitive to pain, don't know which and am not really interesting in figuring it out). I was awake. I was supposed to have laughing gas, but I didn't breathe so I didn't get any. Anyhow I didn't feel anything except a couple of times he pinched my cheek and my tongue accidently and I could hear things, but they had to saw my teeth into quarters and chisel them out (I had all four out at the same time two) and I didn't hear hardly any of it (the saw, I could hear the saw, but not the cutting).

I chose local because I didn't want to be sick afterwards. I also had massive infection under the skin (which they also had to cut because the teeth were only partially exposed) and that was the worst part. I had to take tons of anti-biotics for it. I would recommend taking some pretty heavy doses of Echinacea beforehand if you're not allergic to it and it doesn't make you sick. Take it for as you can (like starting tomorrow).

I know it's scary, but it's not that bad.
 

ttmom

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Oh, I also bit the surgeon's hand and wouldn't let go and he had to ask me to open my mouth so he could get it out. I'm just relieved he thought it was funny because I was pretty embarrassed.

I do weird things under heavy anasthetic. When I was coming out from under for the surgery to put my ankle back together I shouted "What the f0(% are you doing to my leg now?" and went back to sleep.

LOL
 

momofmany

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I had a strong sedative and local pain killers with mine. Had 2 done at a time, all were impacted and one on each side was wrapped around my jawbone. Needless to say, they broke the jaw to get them out and it took 4 months of recovery with both. I had my eyes open and watched the procedure both times. This is probably worst case and it was 20 years ago (darker ages of dentistry).

But, on the bright side, everyone that I've known that have had all 4 done at once had no problems with theirs. A dentist wouldn't do all 4 at once if he/she were expecting any problems. As long as they have done a good set of xrays and know what they are getting into, you'll be fine.
 

okeefecl

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Originally posted by Cougar
The only problem to that is I completely freak out when I see a needle near me.
If needles freak you out, you may want to ask your dentist if he can give you an anti-anxiety medication to take before your surgery. Before I had my sinus surgery, I got an anti-anxiety medication which really helped relax me and make the preparations so much easier. This is something you'd need to talk about with your doctor and your parents.
 
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cougar

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Thanks everyone for the info.
8-12 shots!?! I'll literally die if I see 12 needles.
Jasminecat, they do have topical anesthetics to use on the shot area. When I got some cavities filled they had to use it, and I still almost stuck the needle through my head.

TTMom, Im not familiar with Echinacea. Ill do a search, and read up on it.
Momofmany, they broke your jaw?
oh my...
Im a little concerned with what I might say under anesthesia

Oh yeah, the doctor said theres a remote possiblity of bumping a nerve in my lower jaw, and that could cause permanent loss of feeling in my lower lip? Thats kind of freaky.
Im going to be very happy when this is all over.
Oh and I don't think my parents are going to be happy with using an anti-anxiety agent, although it sounds like a good idea.
Thanks again,

Peace,
Brandon
 
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