Wish me luck- Wisdom tooth extraction tomorrow

This has been one of those things I've put off...and put off....I just want it to be over already. Only one lower one that is impacted needs to come out. (I know-I'm 41- I'm a real freak of nature) The other lower one came thru no problem about 5 yrs ago.

The reason I am having it out is two-fold.
1. It has been erupting for 3 yrs- I've been very, very patient but it is causing problems with my other molar.
2. I think the local swelling has been the root cause of my ear problems- I guess we'll find out!

Mainly, I just worry about the IV anesthesia (I"d rather have a 3rd c-section, LOL!) and that I don't end up with nerve damage which will cause numbness in the chin/lip area.

Please send good thoughts my way!
Signed,
A nervous dental patient

Good luck! ((Hugs)) Will you be put out completely?

I had my upper wisdom teeth pulled a few years ago (right after I had Hayley). I told the dentist then that I'd rather go through another natural labor and delivery than even come to the dentist for a cleaning. They gave me Valium to relax me before the appt. and then just Novacaine for the procedure.

But my lowers are impacted and have been moving up and down for years. They push on my molars and give me migraines. But I am too chicken to have them removed because it means oral surgery (something we can't afford with no insurance anyway).

ah, just one? no prob!

i had all four pulled when i was 19. i had laughing gas the second time around, so i was pretty much out.

you ARE having an oral surgeon do this, and not a dentist, right? RIGHT??? don't ask me why i'm asking, lol... okay, it has to do with the "second time around"

scatterbunny said:

Good luck! ((Hugs)) Will you be put out completely?


But my lowers are impacted and have been moving up and down for years. They push on my molars and give me migraines. But I am too chicken to have them removed because it means oral surgery (something we can't afford with no insurance anyway).

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Yes, I will be OUT. That is the part I don't like. I am afraid of that aspect. No previous problems, I am just a worrier. I have an oral sedative, then I will have the IV. I am too chicken also, but from what I have heard- the upper ones are WAY harder to do than the lower ones.

southpawboston said:

ah, just one? no prob!

i had all four pulled when i was 19. i had laughing gas the second time around, so i was pretty much out.

you ARE having an oral surgeon do this, and not a dentist, right? RIGHT??? don't ask me why i'm asking, lol... okay, it has to do with the "second time around"

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Yeah, but you were 19! I have had 22 more years to build up all my fears on the matter, LOL! YES, it's an oral surgeon- one that was recommended highly and has small hands (I guess that matters!)

Thanks both of you!!

Aww Tina!! You'll do fine!!

I have been putting mine off as well... I really need to go since 3 of 4 are impacted (I think that's what they call it), but they are completely sideways UGH!

Good luck!! Let us know how it goes.

I got both my bottom ones extracted last summer. They gave me some oral drug and then laughing gas. I don't remember a thing. Both my bottom wisdom teeth were completely horizontal and pushing the molars in front of them... effectively destroying the molars... the wisdoms had to come out. I lived on pain killers for 1.5 days and then just regular ibuprofen if I needed it.

I went to an oral surgeon as well (a regular dentist couldn't touch me because of the sideways positions of the wisdom teeth). We ended up going back to my hometown to get it done, since it was a lot cheaper and my childhood dentist recommended a fantastic oral surgeon out there.

The wierdest part was waiting for the holes in the back of my mouth to grow in!

IV anethesia is the only way to do it. I had 5 pulled when I was around 24 for the same reason. It sucks, but in a week you will be like, "no big deal". As Southpaw mentioned, oral surgeon, NOT dentist. One is really no biggy, it'll be over before you know what happened. Just eat a steak or whatever you like the night before, because you'll be eating soft food for a little while.

I had a dentist do my uppers because they were already grown in, not impacted. It wasn't a huge deal, but I'm a serious wuss when it comes to the dentist so it bothered me a lot.

My lowers are impacted and a regular dentist won't even consider touching them--it must be done by an oral surgeon. They'll do it with me awake, but I WANT to be put to sleep (no fear of THAT, for me ). But since no insurance to cover it, I'll have to go the cheapest route when I get it done.

You'll be fine!

I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed in December. They gave me IV anesthesia and I was completely fine.

I can't remember what pain killer they had me on, but I only took it twice because it made me feel really hyper, and they I would crash... I was not ok with that! So I just took advil until it didn't hurt anymore. Oh, and listen to the suergon if they tell you to rinse your mouth out with salt water! I didn't do it at first cause it hurt, but after I started to it healed much quicker.

lovinwaves said:

but they are completely sideways UGH!

Good luck!! Let us know how it goes.

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I'm the same! I only have three and two of the three are sideways. I have had the referral for NINE years and haven't had them pulled yet. I really need to do that!

Tina-- best of luck!!!!!!!!!!

I'm feeling the love here, guys...Thanks! I know it will be ok, I just need to freak out a bit prior to everything. As far as the soft foods tomorrow- I am eating VERY crunchy chips and EXTREMELY spicy salsa as I type.....left over party food from DD's b-day (she's 4 by the way!!!!!!!!) I've been taking some homeopathic stuff recommended to me also- Arnica and afterwards I'll be rinsing with Tincture of Myrrh. I'll do the saltwater thing too. I'll let you all know how it goes. I am such a wuss. Thanks for being here!

Oh, good idea to do the homeopathic stuff in preparation! We have some Hyland's arnica tablets that we take for muscle pain/injuries and bruising. It does seem to help speed up recovery time and lessen the tenderness.

I'm LOL at you eating spicy salsa and chips. That was the worst part of having my top two wisdom teeth pulled--I am a Mexican food addict; the spicier, the better, and I love chips and salsa. I actually did have salsa not long after the extraction--I just made sure it was not too chunky and drank it like V8.

scatterbunny said:

I'm LOL at you eating spicy salsa and chips. That was the worst part of having my top two wisdom teeth pulled--I am a Mexican food addict; the spicier, the better, and I love chips and salsa. I actually did have salsa not long after the extraction--I just made sure it was not too chunky and drank it like V8.

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Hehehe...I'd do something like that! I LOVE my Salsa!

You probably already know this, but just in case...Don't drink out of a straw or smoke (if you do) because this can cause "dry-socket" which really makes the whole thing really bad because then it hurts just to breath! Basically don't do anything that causes suction in your mouth for a few days.

yoshiandluke said:

Yes, I will be OUT. That is the part I don't like. I am afraid of that aspect. No previous problems, I am just a worrier. I have an oral sedative, then I will have the IV. I am too chicken also, but from what I have heard- the upper ones are WAY harder to do than the lower ones.

Yeah, but you were 19! I have had 22 more years to build up all my fears on the matter, LOL! YES, it's an oral surgeon- one that was recommended highly and has small hands (I guess that matters!)

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Awwwww, hugs I had my wisdom teeth out just before I turned 18 and while I was still on my parents' insurance. My first experience with General Anesthesia. Best solid sleep I had in ages. I was the ONLY person in my friends & family to have the IV and the ONLY one who did not have any complications afterwards.

Since then, I've been under general anesthesia 4 more times for various surgeries or procedures depending on the physician performing them called it. Each time without any troubles and I'd wake up fairly clear headed and ready to go. Even when I was put out with Ketamine after my c-section to stuff everything back in, I had a great trip back to consciousness

I was planning on being knocked out for the UFE I just went through, but the dr only called me 2 days before it was scheduled to say that the anesthisiologist wouldn't be able to be there for 2 weeks.

Since dh already had leave scheduled, I took the 'sedation' option. My MIL had sedation for her biopsy and doesn't remember a thing. Not me. Every little bit is etched in my brain. They had to use enough drugs to 'kill a horse' -- their words, not mine. I remember every single bit loud & clear. My back ached continually and there was sometimes a lot of pain from the different maneuverings around my veins. The staff was completely shocked on how awake & coherent I was. Hey, I had warned them to knock me OUT! I wish they had

So take it from this old horse Being put out might be the best sleep you've had in a long time. Enjoy it.
If you're lucky, your teeth will be so bad that you'll have morphine that you control the pain amount after you wake. Don't worry about becoming addicted. Use it while you need it and it's easy to stop. It's the only way I could have managed the night after my 'procedure.' It was when they started giving me other pain meds like Tylox & Lortab I began having a lot of problems. I reacted just as if they gave me Cepha drugs -- sleepy, then hyper, then rashing and breathing wheezing problems. So give me natural morphine any day as a pain killer. When I don't need the serious pain killer, I'll easily switch to the Ibuprofin that works so well for me too.

You'll do fine. You're in good hands with an oral surgeon and everything will be okay. I"ll be waiting for you to report on all the 'fun' you had

I had all mine out. They were causing problems with my other teeth as well. I was put to sleep. I could not do it any other way. I wish you luck because i was asleep for like 5 days after because i didnt want to be awake but you might have to be awake. It was summer for me so nothing to do. Good luck you will be fine

I had all 4 wisdom teeth cut out (they hadn't even begun to erupt yet) during my jaw surgery 12 yrs ago. Having the wisdom teeth removed really wasn't a big deal (having my mouth wired shut, and drinking every meal DID get old though). The times I've had general anesthesia, I basically slept the rest of the day. The next day I usually felt mentally normal again. I'm sure your oral surgeon has removed so many wisdom teeth that he could do it in his sleep, so don't worry about a thing. Make sure you update on how it went!

Good luck tomorrow!

I still have all of my wisdom teeth, they grew in years ago and I've never had pain or any reason to remove them. My teeth are still perfectly straight so I guess I will just leave them in until they start causing a problem.

I had all my wisdom teeth taken out when i was like 18-ish.

I loved the experiance. I just remember a vial of white stuff, and saying "oh this stuff is cool" and i was out!

I woke up "5 minutes later" to me, but it was an hour + in reality.

DH, then BF made me chocolate smoothies, and gave me all the huge winnie the pooh stuffed animals (which i still have).

Good luck! you'll be alright!

good luck!!

I hope it goes smoothly!! I have all 4 of mine completely through and my dentist kept trying to talk me in to having them pulled. The only time they bothered me was when they were coming in... I will probably have to have them pulled when Im old but I actually use them when eating so who knows...