Wisdom Teeth Experience

[Kiran]

I'm getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed on the 14th. Before talking with the oral surgeon, the only thing I was worried about is not being able to eat steak for a few days.

When I walked into the office, the nurse told me all the risks and the procedures of getting the wisdom teeth pulled. Then we watched a 12 minute video on everything the nurse just said. After that, the doctor came in, and basically repeated everything the nurse and the video said.

To be quite honest, I heard enough by the time we watched the video. After the video, I am now terrified about the removal. I thought these "talks" are supposed to make you feel more comfortable about this?! I was absolutely fine before I walked into the office!

So, everyone who had their wisdom teeth pulled, give your input of what you went through.

[Cuda68-2]

If they are impacted it can be a rough deal. Mine where not and I had them all pulled at once with no problems. Eating as usual in 3 days.

[Behemoth]

i need all 4 cut out too, theyre growing in sideways (towards the other molars)

[Iceman]

I had four severely impacted wisdom taken out when I was 19 years old. While it was no cake walk, it was not the end of the world. Even back then the drugs made all of the difference to. Just sit back and enjoy the pain killers and you will be just fine. Really ... it's not that big of a deal.

[Phoenix Red]

My friend at 17 had his out. He was sitting on an (unfilled) demoral perscription which we both had nefarious ideas about, but he didn't even need the tylonal 3's after a couple days. It really shouldn't be a big deal.

My neighbor got his out in his mid-40s and made this mistake of using listerine the next morning. Apparently it clears out the sinuses pretty well =p

[De Rigueur]

When I had mine out, I sprang for the optional general anesthesia. I thought it was worth it. I don't remember the recovery being too difficult.

[Top Gun]

I had all four of mine out just a year or two ago; I think two of them may have been impacted. It wasn't really a big deal at all. I was put on IV sedation; I can still remember looking around at first, wondering why nothing was happening, then things started to look kind of strange, and then...poof, nothing. When I came to, I was in a recliner in the recovery room. I can say that I've never been so out of it in my life; my mom had to help me stagger to the car, and even though we live only ten minutes or so from the doctor's office, those are ten minutes I'll seemingly never remember. I think the worst part of it was, afterwards, having to bite down on cotton balls to stop the bleeding; those things taste downright nasty. I didn't have any nausea whatsoever, and I experienced little or no swelling (thanks to a pair of bags of frozen peas; they make surprisingly good icepacks). They put me on demoral, but I only took it for a day or two (that stuff really messes you up ); after that, Tylenol handled the remaining pain. I've heard of people who have had bad experiences, but I've also heard of a lot of people like me who didn't have that much trouble. At any rate, in a few weeks you'll be just about back to normal. The doctor did give me a type of syringe to rinse out the empty tooth sockets with salt water to prevent infection, and a few shards of the tooth may remain and work themselves out after the surgery, but after everything closed up, I've had absolutely no problems with them. Good luck with everything.

[Kiran]

Eh, it's not the pain that got me worried. It's the risks they told me about. Possibility of jaw breaking, dry socket, infections, something about sinuses that you will have to have a corrective surgery on...those sort of risks.
The fact that I never heard of anyone who had any of those problems eased me a bit, because those cases were rare. Then again, that one in a million chance could happen to me too.

D@mn that video.

[Suncho]

All 4 of my wisdom teeth grew in normally.

[Kilarin]

that one in a million chance could happen to me too

Find the web site for the "Department of Highways" for your state (or equivalent) You will probably find a "risk per mile" assement of safety on the roads in your area.

I have comforting news for you! The chances that you will die in a car wreck on the way to the surgeon are MUCH greater than the risk of serious complications from the surgery. So don't worry about your sinuses, you will probably be killed in a horrible car wreck before the surgeon can ever cut on you.

Now don't you feel better?

Kilarin

[Plebeian]

Don't worry about it. As long as the teeth aren't really bad and the surgeon's good, there shouldn't be any complications at all. The most common issue is dry sockets, but you just need to be smart about what you eat and drink.

My biggest pain was the massive bleeding afterwards. That and I passed out while going down the hall once. (I have low blood pressure normally, and between standing up and the aftereffects of the IV....)

My wife had dry sockets and said that wasn't much fun.

But really, most of the time there's nothing that'll happen at all. I didn't even need my pain prescription (or over-the-counter meds either).

[will_kill]

bottem 2 had to be cut out...top 2 grew in fine.

[Palzon]

When I had mine out, I sprang for the optional general anesthesia. I thought it was worth it. I don't remember the recovery being too difficult.

i did the same. i remember counting backwards. then i remember seeing a nurse and saying, "can we get this over with already?"

She said,"It is over!" and handed me a platic baggie with my teeth. i was hung over from the anaesthesia, but otherwise no problems like pain/infection.

word - it is annoying as hell to get food stuck in the sockets! you can't get it out! not even with the lil flush bulb.

[Kiran]

that one in a million chance could happen to me too

Find the web site for the "Department of Highways" for your state (or equivalent) You will probably find a "risk per mile" assement of safety on the roads in your area.

I have comforting news for you! The chances that you will die in a car wreck on the way to the surgeon are MUCH greater than the risk of serious complications from the surgery. So don't worry about your sinuses, you will probably be killed in a horrible car wreck before the surgeon can ever cut on you.

Now don't you feel better?

Kilarin

Heheh. No. Actually, you should get to know someone before saying something like that. I'd like to point something out, no intentions of wanting attention or any of that drama. In the past few years, I lost a couple friends in separate car accidents. It sucked. All of them I grew up with.
However, I wouldn't be suprised if I get killed in a car accident on my way to the doctor's office that Friday morning. Too many reckless drivers on the road. At least I won't get to suffer a few days of no steaks. *prays to the heavens for a plate of steaks on the day she dies*

[Mobius]

I thought these "talks" are supposed to make you feel more comfortable about this?!

No.

You live in a country where doctors and dentists pay around 50 times more per year for malpractice insurance than here in New Zealand.

This being the case, they absolutely must tell you EVERYTHING that can go wrong, and all the possible side effects and ramifications of having the surgery. Because if they didn't, and you had a problem, then you'd sure their a$$ off faster than I can say "WTF?".

A general anaesthetic is well worth the investment. You really don't want to be awake (or even sedated!) if they have to cut your teeth up to get them out. It would be highly tramatising in a psychological way.

Do be aware though, that a general anaesthetic can kill you. It is highly unlikely, but it does happen, and for no particularly obvious reason.

You see, ALL medical procedures carry an element of risk: something the US public seems to have a problem accepting, as evidenced by the ligitious nature of many Americans. Someone always has to be blamed for bad things happening, even if no one is to blame.

Good luck with those teeth by the way. I've had all mine out, and had generals both times.

[Palzon]

You see, ALL medical procedures carry an element of risk: something the US public seems to have a problem accepting, as evidenced by the ligitious nature of many Americans.

i strained my ligitious once it was very painful

[De Rigueur]

Aw, give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that's the British spelling or maybe the message was garbled when it crossed the equator.

And btw, does Mobius were dentures?

[MD-2389]

Because if they didn't, and you had a problem, then you'd sure their a$$ off faster than I can say "WTF?".

You mean SUE their ass off.

You see, ALL medical procedures carry an element of risk: something the US public seems to have a problem accepting, as evidenced by the ligitious nature of many Americans. Someone always has to be blamed for bad things happening, even if no one is to blame.

Hell, getting out of bed is a risk. Life is full of risks. Its just that the chance of something bad happening is remote. The only thing you can really do is try to relax and enjoy the medication they give you. Just a heads up though. There is one medication that you might get prescribed that will allow you to have an orgasm VERY easily without any....physical stimulation. I honestly can't remember the name, but I'm sure roid will pop in here with the correct answer.

[Top Gun]

Just a heads up though. There is one medication that you might get prescribed that will allow you to have an orgasm VERY easily without any....physical stimulation. I honestly can't remember the name, but I'm sure roid will pop in here with the correct answer.

Was that the same stuff that the MD had in the second Descent novel?

[Grendel]

A general anaesthetic is well worth the investment. You really don't want to be awake (or even sedated!) if they have to cut your teeth up to get them out. It would be highly tramatising in a psychological way.

Do be aware though, that a general anaesthetic can kill you. It is highly unlikely, but it does happen, and for no particularly obvious reason.

[..]

Good luck with those teeth by the way. I've had all mine out, and had generals both times.

Highest risk of the procedure is actually the anaesthesia -- should be avoided at all costs (risk of brain damage..) A good sedation will tamper w/ your abillity to form long term memory while it's in place, you will have a hard time remembering anything from the extraction.

Assuming Mobi ment "traumatizing" -- that's very unlikely even w/ a nasty case of dentist paranoia, unless you're a psychotic nerve wreck in the first place . I had dentist anxiety before I got 3 teeth extracted, never had a problem w/ dentists since.

And Mobi, sorry to hear that you got all your teeth out at age 40, hope you got some good dentures

[Kilarin]

I lost a couple friends in separate car accidents. It sucked.

Sorry if I was insensitive. I've lost friends to auto accidents as well. Probably everyone on this board has. I was attempting, (and failing!) to be humorus about the daily risks we all take. But the fact is that NOT taking those risks is, well, too risky.

If you refused to ever get into a car, you would probably die because you couldn't get to the hospital some day. And if you don't get your wisdom teeth out, you could have serious medical ramifications down the line. All life is risk. You have to decide which risks are worth taking. Or, as friend of mine says, "Never take a risk you can avoid, and never avoid a risk you must take"

Kilarin

[Kiran]

"Never take a risk you can avoid, and never avoid a risk you must take"

A very wise saying, Kil. I like that quote.

Eh. I still am not looking forward to all the possible things that could happen after the teeth are pulled.

My coach insists that I play in the softball tournament (it's on the 15th) even though I could be high from the painkillers. I can see it now...