Well, I saw a dentist today, and these suckers have to come out. And they have to come out soon. They wanted to schedule it for Monday, but I'm not sure that I can find someone to take care of me by then, so right now it looks like it's going to be the 11th.
What was it like for you guys to have yours out? Were you awake or out? They gave me an option...I could be awake with the nitrous, or I can take some kind of mild sleeping pill and be barely conscious.
Horror stories? Happy stories? How did yours go?
-pH
[ September 14, 2006, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: pH ]
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
My experience was fine. Awake, no nitrous (I hate that stuff) just novocaine.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Were yours already coming in? Mine aren't...they've decided to party with the roots of my other teeth. I'm not really sure I understand how they're going to get them out, since they're still under the gums, but I'm also not sure I really want to know.
What does the nitrous even feel like? The only dental work I've had before is my inlays, and I just got novocaine for those.
-pH
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
ph, mine were like that - they weren't all the way in yet, but had to come out. The dentist made a small incision, pulled the tooth, then had to stitch it closed with one or two stitches, I believe. I was awake, I also hate nitrous, and had just novocaine. Didn't feel any pain during the procedure but a lot afterwards - they were so far down it took quite a bit of pulling to get mine out and I had a terrible bruise from it.
I looked like someone had slugged me in the jaw, be prepared. Someone I worked with actually asked me if I was okay or needed a shelter or something - she thought my husband had hit me!
Now, yours may not be that severe. Do make sure you have someone with you to drive you home and get your pain prescription filled before you get home and take a painkiller before you think you need it so the pain doesn't get too bad before it kicks in.
My preference would be take the pill, mainly because I've had nitrous before and didn't like the way it made me feel, at all.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Well, since you asked for horror stories too...
I was awake the whole time and it was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Apparently my wisdom teeth weren't coming in properly or something, because they couldn't just pull them out. The dentist used what looked to me like an ice pick to crush the teeth into tiny pieces, so he could suck them out. So for the better part of two hours I had a guy putting the full weight of his body into crushing my jaw. Seriously, I could see huge veins popping out of his forehead and his sweat was dripping onto my face. He was pushing with all of his might against my back teeth, and while my mouth was numb, the rest of my head could feel it just fine. He pretty much turned my gums into hamburger meat. He said that it was the worst extraction he had ever had to do, and prescribed what he said was the strongest pain medication he was allowed to by law (I don't remember the name).
So we leave the dentist and go home and my mom goes to the pharmacist to get the medication. Unfortunately, the dentist's office neglected to call in my prescription and it took a good hour and a half for her to get back. By this time the novocaine had worn off and I was beyond communicating farther than animalesque screaming and howling. Naturally my mouth was bleeding profusely at the time, so with each scream blood would spray out of my mouth and coat anything in front of me. I was in too much pain to sit still, so I was wandering around the house aimlessly, screaming at everything. I vaguely recall scaring the bejesus out of some neighborhood kids that came by looking for my little sister.
Eventually my mother came home with the pills and while the label had death threats against taking more than one ever 6 hours or so, I ended up downing 2 every 4 hours or so. They didn't really help. And to make it all so much more fun, the wounds weren't healing well and the gauze that we regularly changed out was absolutely no help in stemming the flow of blood. When I tried to sleep that night there was a constant flow of blood down my throat, which would eventually fill my stomach and trigger my gag reflex, causing me to vomit blood about every hour or so. All in all, a good time.
So the moral of the story is... don't go to Castle Dentists (no offense to anyone that may work there). I'm sure your extraction will not be nearly as bad as mine, as I've met few people who's were. I would suggest going under for the duration of the procedure though. Good luck!
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
I got mine out about two years ago... or is it three?
I don't know, but it sounded like a fairly similar situation for me. My wisdom teeth hadn't come in yet, but they were going to throw my teeth out of whack which would be horrible since I had just gone through orthodontia. (My teeth still went out of whack, but for other reasons and a different story.)
So for me, they put me to sleep, but it was through an IV, not a pill. So basically I remember them putting the needle in, and then waking up. (Though that's fuzzy memories. I was still really drugged up, so I kept asking if we could go yet, and my mother kept telling me once the nurse brings the wheelchair. But I was a broken record. )
So my experience getting them out? Don't remember. I was out of it. But I can tell you not to be too afraid of them having to get them before they're in. They'll just cut the gums a bit, and because they probably haven't rooted yet, they pretty much just pop right out. Afterwards they'll give you a couple of stitches on each one.
Really, the thing I'd say that I didn't like was just the soreness.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Holy socks, Vonk.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
And vonk takes the "worst story" award.
Mine went well. They gave me a valium and something else that worked perfectly. I remember hearing the drill and feeling my head shake a little, but I was so out of it I couldn't open my eyes, and didn't feel any pain.
I woke up, and I ignored any advise of what "not to do", drank soda out of a straw, ate some popcorn, had a hamburger....
I got a dry socket, which is where a blood clot goes away and you have exposed bone (lest, my understanding). I deserved it. The solution for a dry socket, is they take a tiny metal hook and put some gauze on it. Then they proceed to shove the tiny metal hook down the whole in the back of your mouth where the dry socket is, pushing the gauze in there. Though completely tame in comparison to vonk, it was quite painful, but my own fault. The gauze tastes awful, btw, and will ruin just about anything you eat for 4 days after.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
I was out cold for my Wisdom teeth. Then again, the two lower ones were very impacted, meaning the slit-and-pull option was way out. I imagine my operation went much as Vonk's did, but I did the nitrous and then IV drip of something to knock me out cold for about 4 hours. Yes, it will feel (and look) like someone slugged you good a few times. The guaze is fairly nasty business as well, but that's to be expected.
If you want the true horror stories, ask not about wisdom teeth but about the dry socket that occasionally (rarely?) follows their removal. General note: do not play brass or wind instruments for at least two weeks after having your wisdom teeth removed. You will give yourself dry socket (then again, I tried playing about 48 hours after having mine out, which was a monumentally bad idea). My dry socket involved them giving me novacaine, going back in and cutting all the stitches out, putting medicated tabs into the sockets, and stitching them all back up again. Better than the historical alternative (which was small pieces of bone. shudder).
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
My top ones are wayyyy far up and have no roots, but my bottom ones are starting to grow roots and shoving into the molars, and they said I should just get them all out at once, since the top ones will have to come out later anyway. Did they give you guys pills to help with the swelling, and if so, did it actually help? How much time should I figure I'll be out of school?
I don't think they're going to give me any IV at all, like I said, they told me that it's just a pill. But I'm not sure. I'm going back in 2 weeks to talk more with the doctor and get more antibiotics (they're infected, so they gave me antibiotics and painkillers today). Dose the nitrous make you sick, or something?
-pH
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I had a sore tooth so I went to my dentist. He said it was a wisdom tooth that had come in, but was so far back in my jaw that it was impossible to brush (your head just doesn't open up far enough). He said it had to come out along with the other three.
Top teeth are easier, since things tend to fall into the empty bottom sockets and inflict pain. So for top teeth, Novacaine was due, for bottom teeth, unconciousness is suggested.
I was between jobs at the time, and between insurance.
I opted for just having the painful one removed, and then getting the rest done later. Since it was a top one, I didn't go under.
It was about 20 minutes, and very little pain later, but a soreness as he stretched jaw muscles I didn't know I had.
I didn't use all the pain drugs he gave me, though I am highly allergic to pain. I break out into screams and girlish cries, but that's another story.
That was 18 months ago, and I've not had any problem with my other three teeth yet. Even though my dental insurance just kicked in, I am not rushing to have the others removed.
On the other hand, without that tooth taking up space in my jaw, my sinus headaches have been less often and less severe.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
I had only upper wisdom teeth (lucky me). They hadn't started causing problems yet (but would when they decided to descend), so I had them out when I was 21 (and before I would be living in Bulgaria for a year and a half). I opted for an IV to knock me out (I'd had some unpleasantness with novacaine not working during some earlier extractions and didn't want to do that again). In less than half an hour, the surgeon was done. The pain wasn't horrible (I didn't need pain meds for long). The most horrible things about the whole experience were some muscles in my check that were pulled and that the vein in my arm became inflammed from the IV. So, all-in-all my experience was not at all horrible. Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
If you've got the option and you've never had any problem with anesthesia, I would choose to be out.
I had mine out and I was unconscious, then I had good painkillers and cortisone shots in my jaw so it didn't swell up. I slept for about 48 hours and when I woke up, I felt pretty good.
I recommend being out for the surgery, then try to sleep as much as possible the next couple days. Easy as pie.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I had 4 wisdom teeth, all partially or fully impacted. I had them out under nitrous at the oral surgeon. He told a really bad joke to be sure the nitrous was working.
I got home and bled and sucked down Tylenol with Codeine for a day. Then was fine.
By the end of the weekend, I felt fine and didn't really hurt that much...
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I've never been under any anaesthetic before. This is the most involved medical ANYTHING I've ever had. Before, I had stitches on my forehead and the inlays put into my molars, but that's all. I don't know what this pill is...some sites say a lot of times they give you valium. But then, would the nitrous be more effective? I don't know. Why have some of you not liked the nitrous? Is that the one that makes you see things?
I know IV anaesthesia isn't an option, but I'm kind of glad that it isn't too because I think it might freak me out. But if I do the nitrous instead of the pill, they said I could probably take a bunch of ativan before I went in...
I'm trying to figure this out now because my parents have already mailed them the check for the extracting, and we have to send in more money if I decide to be out.
*goes to poke around the dentist's website*
-pH
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
pH, I'm pretty sure the reason nitrous and I don't get along is that I have over-reactions to most drugs. I usually end up only taking 1/2 to 1/4 doses of allergy and asthma drugs, and they sometimes still knock me out. My last experience with nitrous was very like the descriptions I've read of a "bad trip" on LSD. I think I was more controlled -- of course I was strapped into the chair with my mouth propped open, so it's not like I could have done or said anything obviously stupid -- but I had the hallucinations and the paranoia. It was horrible.
My mom swears I even get drunk on novocaine, but I don't think that's possible. I say I was just naturally goofy that day. Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Nitrous oxide is laughing gas. It's a fairly safe anesthetic because just a few breaths of regular air or air enriched with a higher concentration of oxygen and you come down off of it.
The problems with doing this procedure under just novocaine are that: - it needs to last a long time. - there are nerves at the back of the jaw that need to be numbed whereas for normal things like a cavity you can pretty much get by with numbing a smaller number of nerves. They have to stick the novocaine WAY inside. It hurts getting it in there, but you'll be numbed up pretty well.
As for being "out" -- if you have a bad reaction to an ingested drug, you'll either have to wait it out or go to the hospital. IMO, not worth it. I swear that most people do NOT need to be "out" for a tooth extraction. Once the roots are severed, their ability to cause pain is gone. You aren't really going to feel a whole heck of a lot. On nitrous, you won't care.
It's a bit nerve-wracking because they do have to break the teeth up to do the extraction. It involves pliers and lots of suction and pressure. Sure thing!
But it's not that bad if you are on nitrous because you really won't care.
And the novocaine will be there to ensure that you aren't feeling any SHARP pains. You'll still feel pressure sensations, but no nerve pain per se.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
Mine were only part of the way in and they were never coming any farther in. Stuff would get stuck in them (especially grapenuts which would shred my cheeks)
So they had to come out
The dentist did all four in one sitting. He numbed me with novacain and gassed me with nitrous and I was floating while he shattered my teeth and picked out the shards.
Afterwards I went in to work. I didn't take any pain medication.
I DID get sick of the taste of my own blood though...
Pix
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I desperately need mine out, but have no money for it. I need to get on the list for one of the local dental schools.
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: But it's not that bad if you are on nitrous because you really won't care.
Almost everyone I've talked to about getting wisdom teeth out has said this, and it really confuses me because when I got mine out the nitrous gas they gave me before the IV did absolutely nothing.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah, nitrous makes me incredibly jumpy and paranoid. No nitrous for me!
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I love nitrous.
Possibly the biggest part of pain for me is the fear that something perminate and awful is happening to me. If I know nothing's wrong, pain still sucks, but it's much more endurable.
Nitrous removes the caring all together. Once, while on Nitrous I started hyperventalating. I knew all I had to do was signal the dr to turn it down but I didn't. Becuase I didn't care. At one point I remember thinking "I'm going to die now.... But that's ok...."
Fortunately the dentist noticed what was going on and turned it down.
Pix
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Just hearing you story made me want to pass out Vonk.
My wisdom teeth hadnt dropped by the time I was 19 so the doctor said I should be fine for the next 2 years. At 21 they had dropped and the dentist said all 4 had to go. I had the nitrous oxide (which didnt seem to do anything really) and novacaine.
He pulled out two and when he got to the 3rd one he exclaimed that it seemed be just fine where it was and asked if I wanted him to pull it anyway. I said if it doesnt need to go to just leave it in my gums (who knows when I am like 80 right?) he then pulled out a 3rd one.
I got really annoyed with the drooling feeling and the numbness, but there was really almost no pain. I was eating icecream by that evening, and I was on to breads and chips by the next day.
All in all I was just fine.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
My shrink says I can take 2 ativan every 4 hours before the appointment, which will if nothing else make me a little sleepy and probably much calmer than I would have been. Gah, but if I just did the nitrous, would he be able to switch to something else if it didn't work and I panicked?
-pH
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
pH,
I had mine out last September. I am *terrified* of dentists; it's actually a borderline phobia. There was no way I was doing it unless I was completely knocked out -- which I was. (I get nitrous every time I have a cavity filled. The sound of the drill makes me sweat and freak out. Prior bad experience.)
Anyway, the procedure totally under was fine (I had the IV anesthesia.) Unfortunately, there's a allergy to anesthesia that runs in my family that I hadn't been tested for. We knew about it, though, and so did the doctor - so he gave me less of the anesthesia that normal in case he needed to pull me out of it if I had a bad reaction. What happened was that I came out of it early, while he was closing up, and I have vague memories of the end of the procedure. When I came out of it fully, I was hyperventilating and sobbing - not because of the pain or for any other reason. I was completely sane and not panicked inside my head; I couldn't figure out for the life of me why I was crying. It took a good hour to get myself calmed down; luckily I teach Pilates and knew pretty instinctively how to do calming breathing exercises. Those really helped, so if you find yourself panicking I could do that. (PS - Nitrous is really easy because you can totally control it. They put the mask over your nose, and if you feel like you're getting too much all you have to do is start breathing through your mouth. You'll immediately feel your head start to clear.)
As far as recovery goes - I was totally fine on generic Advil. I was told that you can take up to four Advil every four-six hours (200 mg pills) safely.
I didn't have a lot of swelling with mine; I had mine done on a Friday afternoon and was back to school on Monday. I needed some rest and some help from family members with soft food and such things like that; I found italian ice and other cold, non-cream-based stuff *really* helped. I also needed ice longer than through Monday; I remember icing my jaw probably until Weds. or Thurs. of the next week. But I could attend class no problem.
Anyway, that was me....does that help at all?
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
Vonk, that was an awful story. I'll be seeing those images in my head all night.
I had a perfect experience getting my teeth out. They used an I.V. and in seconds, I was out. I woke up when I was supposed to and my mom took me home. I took my pills exactly as prescribed, staying ahead of pain just as the doctor recommended. I made sure to follow the directions to ice the area and had little to no bruising. I ate the right foods, soft and used no straws. I don't remember how long I used the pain meds but I'm sure I didn't use them all.
It was nice having my mom baby me but I'd say I probably could've handled it myself.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Well, hopefully it won't take me long to recover because my boyfriend says he doesn't think he can take 2 days off. From what I've read, the recovery time can be even less when they don't knock you out, and they told me that this dentist can usually do wisdom teeth in 45 minutes or less, which I guess is good?
It seems like for the most part, people have been having okay experiences, which is good. But I'm sure even if something goes wrong, I'll be able to get someone to help.
How did they get infected if they're still impacted in the bone? I have to take a week of amoxil, and they gave me percocet for the pain. But how did the infection get in there if they aren't in my mouth?
-pH
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Well...you're left with a hole where the tooth was. It's possible for food to get in there and you can get an infection.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
No Bob, I mean...according to the dentist they're infected NOW, even though they're all buried. I don't get how that happened.
-pH
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
Didn't read the replies - just scrolled down, so sorry if I'm being repetitive...
I had impacted wisdom teeth. I had them out and got knocked out when it happened. I wasn't really given an option, though, and I was either 16 or 17 so maybe the option was extended to my parents (i don't really know). It wasn't really that bad. I remember the mask going over my face, telling the doctor nothing was happening, and him and the nurse sort of laughing (not in a bad way) and telling me that by the... that's it. I woke up in a room on a brown fake leather (aka pleather) bed with my Mom right there. She stepped out, got someone and we went into the waiting room. I feel sorry for anyone who was in there for a consult, 'cause I was WAY out of it and had dried blood on my face! (don't mean this to be scary to you, pH, 'cause of course it's par for the course...) Anyway...
The pain drugs didn't really work for me. They really just made my brain feel detached from my body but I could still feel an uncomfortableness in my jaw. The worst thing ever, was dry sockets. I got two. I did what they told me to do but I guess not well enough. The only thing I'd change is to ask more about what to do to avoid them. It really was a horrible feeling - like a semi-sharp pain in my lower cheeks that I couldn't get rid of and was constantly there.
I say - go for it. From what I hear from friends who've avoided the wisdom tooth removal thang, their discomfort for years is worse than my temporary discomfort. Just, like I said, ask specifics about the dry socket piece.
edit: i got the mask/knocked out in an oral sugeons office - not the hospital. he's in a building right next to my dentist, so i don't know exactly what the stuff was that i was under...
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I got an infection in the wisdom tooth area while at Disneyworld. We had to leave a day early and spent all night driving home. Then I got right in to see the dentist that morning and they took either two or four of them out that day. I don't recall any real problems with the extractions, other than the fact that the rides at Disneyworld were too painful to be any fun the last day there and we still have four unused Disneyworld tickets in my parent's sock drawer.
My mom always made out that the infection was my fault for not taking care of the half exposed wisdom tooth. *shrug* I'm quite used to the idea that I singlehandedly ruined our week vacation in Florida after all these years of hearing about it but I still harbor the hope that maybe it wasn't really my fault.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
(unrelated to the thread – mickey + co forgive all wisdom-tooth-trip-cutting-short incidences... in fact - mickey blames the wisdom teeth and asks that the extracted teeth be handed over to him for compensation from the tooth fairy, to be delivered to mom and dad and fam upon receipt.)
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Wow, vonk. That is an utterly horrifying story.
I actually still have my wisdom teeth - when I was getting braces at 14, they decided to take out my four frontmost molars instead of my eyeteeth (because I'd had root canals in two of the molars), so they let me keep my wisdom teeth and just incorporated them into the braces to straighten them out.
But anyway, when I had the molars removed, I did nitrous and the IV, and I think I may have gotten some shots of novocaine before they put me under, too, but I'm not sure. I had a history of needing nitrous at the dentist for pretty much any filling requiring novocaine, so I think they gave me the works just to play it safe and keep me from getting upset. After about 10-15 minutes of nitrous (or probably less), I barely even noticed when they put the needle in my arm - or rather, I knew they did it, but it didn't seem important.
I actually quite enjoyed the experience. I got to skip a day of school, they gave me lots of bliss-inducing nitrous (at what felt like a higher concentration than what my usual dentist used), I had the adventure of being knocked out (which was new to me), took a nice nap, and then my parents were fluttering over me for the rest of the day, and I had lots of nice painkillers laced with codeine. And I had the most bizarrely intriguing (and fun) dreams that night too, which I think may have been due to the anaethesia, as I don't recall any other freaky dreams after nitrous by itself.
Of course, it wasn't quite as much fun after I regained mostly full consciousness that afternoon, since I had a mouth full of gauze, which I couldn't take out because my mouth was still bleeding. And I was really hungry because I hadn't eaten since the night before, but I couldn't eat with the gauze, nor could I drink through a straw or from a glass. But by the next morning things had clotted up enough that I could take out the gauze and eat with a spoon. I was still a little woozy that morning (probably more from hunger than the drugs), but I didn't really need anyone to take care of me, and I was okay to stay home by myself. I didn't have any dry socket problems afterwards either, and I didn't really do anything special to take of the holes. They gave me a syringe thing, but I only used it once or twice.
If I suddenly had to have my wisdom teeth out, I'd definitely not want to be conscious for it at all. It's bad enough when I can hear the drill and feel the pressure, even when I'm all gassed and numbed up. I would absolutely not want to have any memories, however drug-warped, of them shattering my teeth and picking out the pieces. Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
You'd already had root canals?! Those sound awful. I don't even really know what they are, except that they're just about the least fun you can have.
My shrink advises me not to take my Wellbutrin for a few days when I have them out, so I'll be a little drowsy already...that coupled with a miligram of ativan every 4 hours plus painkillers (wow, dentists don't screw around when it comes to that stuff) should hopefully keep me in an altered consciousness for a couple of days.
-pH
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
Root canals aren't really all that bad. At least mine wasn't that bad. I was gassed up pretty good too. I woke up during it, but couldn't feel anything. An' no I didn't complain what-so-ever about waking. Those nurses were cute. Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Yeah, I'd had some really old fillings that had fallen out without my noticing, so the cavities just got worse (but thankfully, not to the toothache stage) in the 2-3 years that I was dentist-less. The root canals weren't really much worse than a regular novocaine-needing filling - they just took a bit longer to do. I was conscious for those, but I was plenty gassed and numbed up, so I was reasonably happy.
Sadly, my dentist at the time was a grey-haired woman, so I had no cute guys to ogle. Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
So how is this pain/discomfort/anxiety going to compare to...having my inlays put in without nitrous, but with novocaine? I mean, they did drill into my teeth. The noise was icky, but...not intolerable. But the whole smashing my teeth out of my jaw thing sounds disturbing. At the same time, I was born without a fear of the dentist...going doesn't really make me worried in and of itself. I've never had a terrible dental experience.
-pH
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH: No Bob, I mean...according to the dentist they're infected NOW, even though they're all buried. I don't get how that happened.
-pH
Oh, sorry.
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
I had 2 wisdom teeth, one top and bottom, both on the same side. They put me OUT cold. I went to sleep and the next thing I knew, they were all done.
I've had nitrous before, but I certainly wouldn't have wanted it for the surgery. I guess mine was more intensive then yours, if they are saying a pill will do it. I guess that's good.
My only recommendation is to use ice as often as they say or more, and to take your pain meds. I think they told me to do 15 minutes of ice every hour or something like that. I used the ice diligently and I took the pain pills whether I thought I needed them or not. (Of course, I did need them, I didn't feel pain because they were working.)
My face didn't bruise, either. It probably had something to do with my use of ice.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I'm one of those rare individuals who's been able to keep all his wisdom teeth.
<prepares to dodge hurled debris>
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
How old are you? I kept mine until I was 30.
Posted by Seatarsprayan (Member # 7634) on :
I had four impacted wisdom teeth, stayed awake for their removal. No nitrous (tried it, didn't like it). The top ones came right out, the bottom ones were broken into three pieces each. I was sore and swollen for several days, but I didn't feel a lot of pain. The main problem was the residual bleeding and gauze. I hate the taste of gauze, it makes me gag. The procedure itself was rather interesting.
My wife just had her top two wisdom teeth out (she didn't have any on the bottom) and was asleep for the procedure. She had it done on Friday, and had to skip the whole next week of work, she was in such terrible pain, for so long. The doctor prescribed Vicodin but she has a high tolerance for it, had to take lots of Percocet.
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
<joins Sterling in the still-got-all-my-teeth club>
I actually only have three wisdom teeth; the dentist joked that that meant I was more highly evolved, but I think if I've got this big old Neanderthal jaw with plenty of room for them, I can't be that far advanced Posted by sweetbaboo (Member # 8845) on :
I only had 3 wisdom teeth. I had all of them out with nitrous and novocaine. I just put my walkman on, turned it up loud and went to sleep (on my own). It was just fine. I couldn't eat for the first day but ate a steak dinner the next night but I looked like I had a baseball shoved in my cheek on one side.
Overall it wasn't a horrible experience and I think you'll be fine (especially because you aren't scared of dentists already). I would take an mp3 player and play it loud, it helped with the sounds not being too creepy.
Good luck to you!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*is third in the born-with-three club*
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I'm 30, still have all four of mine. Mind you, they're a royal pain to keep clean.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
*fourth in the 3 club - but they're in a cool container they gave me to take with instead of in my head...*
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
My mom had hers out twice.
Once, and then they grew back a year later.
She growls a lot when she tells that story.
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
I had mine out...was knocked out, and, besides for being insanely dizzy and disoriented afterwards, had no pain and was perfectly fine the next day.
Posted by Danzig (Member # 4704) on :
Honestly, I looked forward to getting mine taken out, and enjoyed the entire experience. They give you lots of fun drugs.
They started out with giving me nitrous oxide. I told them I could not feel it and had them turn up the dosage. Then they gave me an IV of fentanyl for the pain and some type of benzodiazepine to knock me out; midazolam if I had to hazard a guess. I woke up and was very high on the fentanyl; a condition that was to remain for several hours longer than I expected it to. Once I got home I started popping the Percocets they gave me, much to the consternation of my parents.
At the time, the place where they stuck the IV hurt noticeably more than my wisdom teeth. About a week later, maybe two, a piece of bone started working its way out, which was a minor annoyance until they gave me more Percocets.
If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would try to convince them to forgo the benzo, both to have more memory of the fentanyl high and also because I just have to wonder what it felt like having my teeth drilled out. I really liked the entire procedure, but apparently I had very little pain. My brother's hurt much worse, but then he was not looking forward to the drugs like I was.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
vonk, your story is giving me possibly the worst expression I have ever had on my face ever ever
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Imagine it. It's like I was on a submersible and accidentally found R'lyeh, right? And as I'm checking it out, Cthulu pops out, graps me with a tentacle, and starts dragging me mouthward as I gaze into the maddening abyss of his coal-dead eyes. THAT expression. Except instead of eating me, he takes me to an air-filled temple where he seats me in a chair and starts telling me about the bloody, gory, nightmarish affair of having his wisdom teeth pulled.
I try to curl up into the fetal position but I'm still stuck upright in the chair since my hands -- out of pure horror -- have each curled over my head to clutch the jaw on the other side and I'm all like CTHULU STOP TELLING ME THIS I HAVE TO GET MY WISDOM TEETH OUT SOON OH MY GOD OH MY GOD but he just keeps talking and says "Hah, and then came the part where I was vomiting up blood all night long!"
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Interestingly enough, I had a dream last night about a tentacled creature that lived in a Disney ride.
-pH
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Lyrhawn - They grew BACK? Now see, if we can just figure out how that happened, losing teeth won't be such a big deal anymore. Your mom isn't part shark, is she?
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Well, Monday's the day. That means tomorrow morning, I have to start taking diflunisal, the anti-inflammatory. I can't eat or drink after 8pm tomorrow night. Then I take a valium, go to sleep, wake up and take a Triazolam at 7:30 to be at the dentist's at 8. They're going to put me in a chair and let the pill take effect before they start the fun at 9:40am.
I've been having nightmares all week. I need to get my new ativan prescription filled tonight so that I can get to sleep. I'm scared!
-pH
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Best wishes, pH.
I'll wait to tell my story till after your procedure is done! Drugs are good . . . Posted by andi330 (Member # 8572) on :
I still have all four of my wisdom teeth. They came in when I was 14 and I was lucky; they didn't push my teeth out of place and there was nothing wrong with them.
I do mean lucky though. My mother had two wisom teeth which were hollow, (which she discovered when she brushed holes in the enamel) and two which were impacted. I was really scared I would inherit them from her.
Posted by TheBlueShadow (Member # 9718) on :
I was another perfect surgery.
I was put to sleep and got all four taken out. I was sobbing uncontrollably when they woke me up but it was only for a minute.
The bleeding stopped before we got home and I was able to do pretty much anything I wanted.
I took one painkiller that night to get to sleep and they had me take ibuprofen to keep the swelling down. I had very slight bruising on one side (along the bottom of my jaw).
That was the first day of spring break (Friday)and 10 days later I was back in band class playing a wind instrument.
The only thing affected was I had to keep my embouchure very precise so that air wouldn't get in the holes. I would get the feeling they were going to explode. This only lasted a couple of weeks.
But other than just enough pain to keep me awake that first night I didn't have any problems.
It was rather uneventful.
I have an aunt whose wisdom teeth grew back and she refused to get them out again.
Good luck, hopefully yours will go smoothly.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Diflusinal made me throw up. This day is not off to a good start.
-pH
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
arrrgh! That stinks! I don't have to have mine out because they're coming in straight. I count myself EXTREMELY LUCKY. Hope you're feeling better soon!!
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Do they make you sick when they come in, Libbie? One of the doctors told me that a lot of times, even wisdom teeth coming in normally can make you feel sick.
-pH
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Okay, it's almost time for the next pill, and the first dose is still making me nauseous. The doctor said to eat. I did that. I still feel sick. I was gonna go to the gym! Maybe I'll just spend the day wallowing on the couch.
-pH
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth taken out Tuesday, after having put it off for a good two years. Finally they started causing me pain and I went in.
I was prescribed a valium for before the surgery, and then had novacaine and an IV sedation. The trouble began when the dentist took a good five tries to insert the IV. It finally worked, and I was out in the clouds for a while, but when I woke up they were still digging around in my mouth. I freaked out until I realized what was going on, then I stayed awake for the rest which I couldn't really feel anyway.
The first few days after were what I suspect was a normal amount of pain. It hurt, but was not completely unbearable (especially with the drugs).
By Thursday night the pain was not so bearable, and my entire jaw and all my other teeth were just throbbing in pain. I went back in to the doctor on Friday, to find out I did in fact have two dry sockets. No idea what I did wrong to get them. He shoved some nasty tasting gauze in them which made them feel better until the next day, when I went in for more nasty gauze.
Apparantly the second dose of nasty gauze didn't take or something, because for the last 24 hours my jaw, all my teeth, and what feels like the entire bottom half of my face up to my ears has been throbbing with the most severe pain I remember ever having. It's truly horrible. It beats the pain I experienced having my gall bladder out last year hands down and then some. I already took what few pain pills I had left, and now I'm just trying to deal with it until I can go back in tomorrow morning.
I am really very curious as to why the medicated gauze didn't work the second time around. I hope it just got dislodged or something silly and it's nothing more serious.
pH: Yeah, the medication made me feel really nauseous too. It seemed to get better after a couple doses, especially when I ate more.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Oh, death.
It took at least twice as long as he originally said it would. He almost didn't take two of them at all because they were so hard to get to, they were so far up in my jaw.
I don't remember most of it because they gave me like five of the little blue pills. I do remember him telling me that I was going to feel a little mosquito bite, and me yelling at him because if that was a moquito, it was a GIGANTIC RAZOR TOOTHED MUTANT MOSQUITO THE SIZE OF A DOG. I don't remember much else, though. I know I was awake; I just don't remember. Thank God.
I'm all swollen and can't open my mouth wide enough to take my medication without severe pain. And I'm not allowed to start taking the real pain pills until 8pm. I also can't really close my mouth, either.
But at least they're all out, and I told the school in advance, so I have the week off of both class and work.
My boyfriend is out getting more gauze (the use of which also causes much screaming) and hoopefully some vitamin water and mashed potatoes. He's been spoon feeding me a partially-melted smoothie, but I'm afraid to eat too much because I feel nauseous.
In conclusion, wisdom teeth are the devil.
-pH
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
That really sucks. Hopefully you'll have a nice, long, medicated nap and wake up feeling a lot better!
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Oh pH, you definitely have my sympathies. Now I'll tell my story . . . just one little old horizontally impacted tooth. The doctor didn't even offer me unconsciousness, but I requested it nonetheless, and I'm SO glad I did or I think the scene vonk described would have been what I remembered. I was told that there was much hacking and so forth to get that stubborn thing out.
I remember coming to and my friend standing there and then escorting me out of the office and into the waiting room, where there were children. I was still extremely unsteady on my feet, and swimming through a haze of coming to, but I did know that I must be a frightening sight, so I think I attempted to tell the children not to worry, that this was not going to happen to them. I don't know what else I said but my friends later told me that I was cracking them all up the whole time. (It's a good thing I don't drink or who knows what the result would be . . .)
I also remember the gauze and the taste of blood and the nausea and just wanting to be in the dark and live on pain meds. My roomies later informed me that the room smelled of blood. Good. Someone else had to suffer, too.
Anyway, hope your recovery is quick. Wisdom teeth ARE evil.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I had to have a small cavity dealt with and the doctor asked me if I wanted anesthesia. I asked him "Does it really hurt?"
The dentists words, "No I wouldnt call it pain, its more of a cold chilling sensation."
It hurt so bad that I had to grip the sides of the table as hard as I could and even though I was trying my best not to cry, I had tears going down my face regardless, Ill never listen to that crap ever again. If I am at the dentist for ANYTHING other than a cleaning, I am turning the nerves off.
Edit:
My sympathies pH
try to drink fluids through a straw, especially cold ones. A smooth shake might work well as the coldness helps calm the swelling. I think you are over the worst of it, just keep on trucking!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
NO STRAWS!
Drinking through a straw increases the risk of dry socket. Sipping liquids from a glass or cup is good, though.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
How do you know if you have a dry socket?
The medicine mae me puke last night, and it looks like the swelling on one side has gotten much, much worse. I've been running a low-grade fever, but the doctor says that's normal.
I think Im'a go make another ice pack.
-pH
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
You'll likely know if you get dry socket... it's like someone jamming an ice-pick repeatedly and continously into the place one (or more) of the wisdom teeth used to be.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Grah. What's bothering me most is the swelling right now. I mean, I can't drive anyway, but the way I look now, I dunno. It looks like it's just swelling more and more. And I took all the anti-inflammatories already.
-pH
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
What's the best otc anti-inflammatory? I'm out of the ones the doctor gave me. I've started taking Aleve. One side of my face just keeps swelling bigger and bigger. Ice doesn't seem to help, either. I'm going to call the dentist tomorrow, I think. Would aspirin be better?
-pH
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH: Do they make you sick when they come in, Libbie? One of the doctors told me that a lot of times, even wisdom teeth coming in normally can make you feel sick.
-pH
No, not at all...although they hurt like any other tooth coming in. Didn't make me feel ill at all, though. A little cranky from my mouth aching.
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade:
It hurt so bad that I had to grip the sides of the table as hard as I could and even though I was trying my best not to cry, I had tears going down my face regardless, Ill never listen to that crap ever again. If I am at the dentist for ANYTHING other than a cleaning, I am turning the nerves off.
Uh, yeah. My dentist tries to tell me every time that I don't need anesthesia to have my permanent crowns seated. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. I make him numb me every time, and once he tried to seat the crown when I wasn't quite fully numb yet. It was miserable. I was so very unhappy. He knocked a little off my bill, though. He felt badly about it. He's a pretty good dentist all in all. Mostly because he doesn't screw around with recommending me to the oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth removed since they're coming in just fine. He COULD get a nice referral fee for sending me to the other doc.
pH, I agree about being over the worst of it. The day or two after is always the worst, or so I hear. Hang in there!! Soon you'll be back to normal.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
pH - Just relax for a while... Call the dentist tomorrow if it seems to be getting even more swollen but relax. Just chill on the couch, throw in a movie, zone out to it with some frozen peas on your face. If the swelling is just swelling, so be it. Your jaw's probably just furious it was messed with so dramatically!! If you get some crazy pain that won't go away despite your taking the meds as prescribed, let the dentist/ortho know that when you call tomorrow... could be dry sockets. Otherwise, I'd just take the next few days to chill as much as you can. I'd almost not mind getting mine out again if I could have the week off from work to veg on the couch! : )
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH: What's the best otc anti-inflammatory? I'm out of the ones the doctor gave me. I've started taking Aleve. One side of my face just keeps swelling bigger and bigger. Ice doesn't seem to help, either. I'm going to call the dentist tomorrow, I think. Would aspirin be better?
-pH
I think it's Aleve that is naproxen sodium, which is a really good anti-inflammatory. As far as I know, aspirin is a pain killer but not an anti-inflammatory. See if the Aleve helps you. If not, call your pharmacist (not your dentist) and ask them what their recommendations are. Pharmacists always know waaayyy more about the drugs and how to get the best use out of them than docs do!
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
I wouldn't go THAT far.
Aleve two pills twice a day with food is a good antiinflammatory strength dose.
You can also take tylenol for some additional pain relief.
Posted by Kristen (Member # 9200) on :
This is ironic as I just had mine out today. PH we are in the same boat!
A few weeks back I got a terrible infection from an impacted tooth and it turns out all four needed out.
I was supposed to go to sleep but because of my asthma, I only got a little sedative and mostly nitrous, and I remember bits and pieces of the procedure. The doctor told me that I would feel pressure when he took them out and I did, but it was in no way painful.
I was able to walk out and have been clear-headed all day. The pain meds I'm taking as prescribed and they are fine-every now and then I get groggy but it passes quickly. I haven't been any more tired than usual.
The swelling is okay. I went out and no one gave me funny looks. They say it might worsen tomorrow.
The biggest problem so far has been the blood. I ended up spewing blood all over the car because my gauze shifted and that was the story of the next few hours. Eventually it died down, nothing unusual. I was just surprised at how much there was (and how bad it tastes).
Wow, reading about dry sockets makes me REALLY not want one. As I only have had chicken broth to eat, I am going to continue to follow the instructions to the letters...
But, in general, this entire thing hurts WAY less than my infection. It's totally manageable. Not comfortable (especially on the impacted side), but not distracting pain.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
My family has a tooth-removal story that's been passed down:
When my mom was little, her family lived in a second-story apartment. When they had just moved in, my grandmother had to have ALL of her teeth removed, so they decided to do it in four stages.
The funny part of the story is that the neighbors who lived right below them (and who they later became good friends with) felt just horrible for those children upstairs. as they saw it, every week or so for a month and a half, the wife would go out drinking, and the husband had to beat her black and blue to get her to come home.
They decided this based on the fact that she would come home acting totally drugged, with huge bruises all across her face--from the removal.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Going back to the dentist today. One side of my face continues to swell. I woke up this morning and realized that the view from my left eye was partially obscured.
Whee.
-pH
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Have you been icing your jaw? That seemed to help a lot.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Ice doesn't do anything. The dentist said it's probably an infection because of the pain and continued swelling, except that I can't open my mouth for them to take a look. So I get stronger antibiotics. It turns out, the side that keeps swelling is also the one that had more complications. Anyways, bah. Pain.
-pH
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Have you asked for stronger pain medication? At the peak of my pain I was taking 1000mg of Vicodin (plus 800 mg of ibprofin at different times) and that was quite literally knocking me off my feet, at least for a couple hours. Or perhaps a different kind of pain medication would work better for you...
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
They actually gave me the strongest one they could think of already, since there were so many complications. So pretty much, I take pills, sleep, wake up to take pills, sleep, and so forth. Unfortunately, I can't open my mouth wide enough to get much food in there. I can't even eat out of a spoon, only a fork.
Hopefully the stronger antibiotic will work quickly, 'cause right now, even if I felt well enough, I wouldn't leave the house.
When I call my friends, they all ask me if I'm drunk.
-pH
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Golf-ball-sized hard mass inside my left cheek. I have to go back in tomorrow. In the meantime, though, it hurts so bad. Fortunately, the dentist said that the medicine they switched me to is just the right kind to treat this kind of thing (clindamcycin).
I wanna sleep!
-pH
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I'm really sorry pH, sounds like your experiencing one of the more worse case scenarios for wisdom teeth. My wife has perfect teeth and never needed braces, I am BEGGING that my kids get HER teeth and not mine. Not that mine were horrible but wisdom teeth/bracers=$$ Ill never see.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Went back in to the dentist today. They said the knot in my cheek is probably a GOOD thing - a sign that the clindamycin they gave me is fighting the infection. I can open my mouth about as wide as the height of my index finger. They think I have at least one dry socket (especially since I've vomited), but they're going to wait until Monday to do anything about it, since it would be hard to treat with my jaw having so little range of motion. But they did manage to get a little mirror in there, and they say that the color of the tissue is good, and it's probably healing well. They switched me from meprozine to vicodin for the pain. Supposedly it'll help the muscles a bit, and it isn't as strong a painkiller, so I won't be a zombie who needs people to help her not fall into the toilet when she needs to use the bathroom. I've been asleep most of the week, and I don't remember much of the times I've been conscious. And I'm hungry! I never realized how many food commercials there are.
My sense of taste is wonky. I tried eating soft french fries, and they tasted like egg whites. Mlikshakes taste like stale french fries. I have trouble tasting the fruit in yoghurt. And there's a patch on the back of one side of my tongue that doesn't taste at all.
I'm rubbing capzacin into the hard knot thing on my cheek. They said moist heat would be good. I have a water bottle to use, too.
I need to be better by Monday! Or at least not look weird. Send prayers and happy thoughts, please.
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I don't get how that happened.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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From what I've read, the recovery time can be even less when they don't knock you out, and they told me that this dentist can usually do wisdom teeth in 45 minutes or less, which I guess is good?![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Wow, vonk. That is an utterly horrifying story. ![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
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![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)