Mandibular and maxillary third molar extraction experiences...

[kandrathe]

I'm having my last two removed in 30 minutes. I had one other one extracted a year ago, and I was in no hurry to go back. They offered to take them when I was 22, but I put it off until it was necessary. Now these last two have finally succumbed to small cavities, which make it easier to take them now than to fix.

Anyway... I'm off to the dentist. I'll be in some pain for a few days. I remember that much from last year, and also to not fall behind on the pain medications.

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

[Jester]

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

I went in, they put me in the chair, put on the mask, 10-9-8-7...6...lucyintheskywithdiamonds, then I woke up several hours later feeling more rested than I'd ever felt in my life, but looking like a train wreck. Within a day I was functional, and within 2, I was basically normal.

Very effective - a tribute to the division of labour. This place basically did dental surgery and nothing else, so they were efficient and effective at it, very little muddle or bureaucracy. Also, one might note, a success for private medicine, since dentistry is not public in Canada.

-Jester

[Lissa]

I'm having my last two removed in 30 minutes. I had one other one extracted a year ago, and I was in no hurry to go back. They offered to take them when I was 22, but I put it off until it was necessary. Now these last two have finally succumbed to small cavities, which make it easier to take them now than to fix.

Anyway... I'm off to the dentist. I'll be in some pain for a few days. I remember that much from last year, and also to not fall behind on the pain medications.

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

I still have mine on my right side, but the bottom one on the left side cracked earlier this year and I had to have the bottom and upper removed. The funny thing was, the dentist was telling me that the bottom would be more problematic to remove and probably hurt more while the top should be easy, instead it was the exact opposite. The bottom came out easily enough and the top they had to work quit a bit to get out, so much so that they saw my blood pressure elevate 10 points during the extraction process from start of the upper extraction to end. That was no fun. Pain wasn't that much of a problem after the fact, but even with the local anesthetic the upper still hurt while they were removing it (unlike the lower).

[--Pete]

Hi,

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

Well, I did have them taken out all at once and it was quite some time ago. Beyond that, I don't remember anything, so it must have been pretty much a non-event.

Good luck with yours.

--Pete

[Ashock]

I'm having my last two removed in 30 minutes. I had one other one extracted a year ago, and I was in no hurry to go back. They offered to take them when I was 22, but I put it off until it was necessary. Now these last two have finally succumbed to small cavities, which make it easier to take them now than to fix.

Anyway... I'm off to the dentist. I'll be in some pain for a few days. I remember that much from last year, and also to not fall behind on the pain medications.

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

One of mine imploded in my mouth.

[TheDragoon]

I had all four wisdom teeth taken out at once a couple years ago because they were all impacted and causing problems. The actual surgery went faster than expected but was just as rough as I had been warned. Everything swelled up a lot so I looked kind of like a squirrel and was on pain medication for several days. I basically took it easy for a week and then was able to get back into the swing of things. I can still feel where the surgery took place (there's a couple ridges) and I now tend to have the dentists complain that I have a bunch of extra tissue around my rear teeth nowadays when they check the depth of the gums to your teeth with a pick during routine checkups. Overall, I haven't had any major lasting issues and everything went according to plan.

I hope everything goes well for you!

[Lissa]

Everything swelled up a lot so I looked kind of like a squirrel

Judging from the wedding pictures, this hasn't changed much... :P:P:P:P

[kandrathe]

I'm having my last two removed in 30 minutes. I had one other one extracted a year ago, and I was in no hurry to go back. They offered to take them when I was 22, but I put it off until it was necessary. Now these last two have finally succumbed to small cavities, which make it easier to take them now than to fix.

Anyway... I'm off to the dentist. I'll be in some pain for a few days. I remember that much from last year, and also to not fall behind on the pain medications.

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

They gave me the option of unconsciousness, or just Novocaine. I opted for the cheaper route since I pay for about half of things now. The most uncomfortable part was really getting the shots. I did have a couple painful twinges on the upper one, but nothing even needing a grimace. I was thinking through the whole time, "I'm paying someone to do this to me?" It wasn't to expensive though, about $250 including the pain pills, penicillin, a cold pack, some gauze, and special mouth rinse. This place was like Jester's experience and not my normal dentist, where this oral surgeon just specializes in oral surgery.

It is a weird experience though having someone horse teeth out of your head.

[Rhydderch Hael]

Novacaine, pliers, and a drill to saw the severly impacted ones in half. No problemo. Never even had to crack open the bottle of Codeine-flavored Tylenol they sent me home with.

[Baajikiil]

I'm having my last two removed in 30 minutes. I had one other one extracted a year ago, and I was in no hurry to go back. They offered to take them when I was 22, but I put it off until it was necessary. Now these last two have finally succumbed to small cavities, which make it easier to take them now than to fix.

Anyway... I'm off to the dentist. I'll be in some pain for a few days. I remember that much from last year, and also to not fall behind on the pain medications.

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

I had no problem when all of mine were taken out a short time ago. I didn't have significant swelling, or any pain afterward, as long as I didn't jam something into the holes.

They didn't seem to want to come out though--it was a very strange sensation to feel something being yanked out of my head with such force. I felt like my jaw was going to come off with the teeth...

[Sir_Die_alot]

I was one of those people who tried to put it off, I only had 3 by the way. On the side with only one (I was missing the bottom) I didn't have a problem. It came in and didn't bother me. When the one on the other side came in because the gum was higher in my mouth (due to there being a lower tooth lurking there) I was constantly biting into my own gum. About a week of that and I knew it was time to see the dentist. On a side note after that week I STILL have a habit of eating my food on that side of my mouth because it hurt less and when my mouth is at "rest" I tend to stick my tongue between my teeth to separate my jaw.

When I got to the surgeon they hooked me up to machines to monitor my heart rate which, due to my superb fitness at the time (a STARK contrast to now... damn you diablo starcraft and wow!), was quite low. I set off the machine with that flat line tone you hear on TV so often. I have only vague memories of the actual extraction though. Damn drugs are good.

[kandrathe]

I have only vague memories of the actual extraction though. Damn drugs are good.

Ugh. I hate the gas. I'm the only one in my immediate family who opts for Novocaine. My mom and sisters do the dentist, drill and all without medication. They hate needles more than they hate the pain. I think there is something weird about our genes (probably a Scandinavian thing).

I guess I'm the wimp, although, I guess if I had to I could gut it out. I don't have any issues with shots, blood, or gore (even my own). So, I figure, "Why not avoid what pain you can?" The Vicodin made me woozy Thursday, so I stopped and Friday I was in some pain. I took the edge off with a little OTC Tylenol pain formula. Of course, as any man would, I whined like a beat dog to milk it for all the sympathy points I could from my wife. Otherwise, she would have me out cleaning the gutters or some such nonsense. That is NOT why I stayed home from work Friday! She made me soup. :-)

[Sir_Die_alot]

Ugh. I hate the gas. I'm the only one in my immediate family who opts for Novocaine. My mom and sisters do the dentist, drill and all without medication. They hate needles more than they hate the pain. I think there is something weird about our genes (probably a Scandinavian thing).

I guess I'm the wimp, although, I guess if I had to I could gut it out. I don't have any issues with shots, blood, or gore (even my own). So, I figure, "Why not avoid what pain you can?" The Vicodin made me woozy Thursday, so I stopped and Friday I was in some pain. I took the edge off with a little OTC Tylenol pain formula. Of course, as any man would, I whined like a beat dog to milk it for all the sympathy points I could from my wife. Otherwise, she would have me out cleaning the gutters or some such nonsense. That is NOT why I stayed home from work Friday! She made me soup. :-)

They had me numbed when I woke up. I HATE that. I would rather hurt than feel nothing at all. Something in my head screams there is something wrong because I can't feel it and it drives me crazy. Maybe that's the Scandinavian part of me coming out too.:)

[Maitre]

How did wisdom tooth extraction go for you all?

Looks like I’m late to the discussion: glad to hear there were no problems. I didn't get much of a choice when mine were taken out at the age of 16. Based on x-ray, they were in plane with my other teeth, but rotated 90 degrees (so that they would be growing into the roots of the adjoining teeth). Except for the one that didn't seem to be much more than a bump on the mandible. I got the gas mask followed by the most worrisome thing in the world: missing time. Next thing I know, I'm stumbling out of the chair and into the next room. Following days were filled with OTC analgesics and trying to keep from tonguing the sutures on my gums. I have the same piles of tissue behind my last remaining teeth. Has lead to a full gold crown on one maxillary side (I cracked the porcelain one they tried first) and a partial on the back of the tooth on the other side.

Still the worst part was that missing time. Of the two times I've been "under" that has always been the worst part. Pain afterward hasn't been a problem, but the disorientation of ending in a different room than where you started, and having no memory of why: ugh.

Re: needle phobia: I've turned down free flu shots from my employer for years because of needle fears. I have to get up, walk out of my office, walk out of the company suite, go downstairs, and get a snack when they announce the start of injections on the day the contractor comes in. The first year, I nearly passed out in my desk chair when they made the announcement that vaccination would begin in the conference room in 10 min. I'm not allowed to take the kids to their well-visits on my own for fear that I'll drop when the nurse comes to vaccinate them.

Edit:sp

[--Pete]

Hi,

Re: needle phobia: I've turned down free flu shots from my employer for years because of needle fears.

I hope, for your sake, that there's no history of diabetes in your family. Nor of rheumatoid arthritis.

As for lost time, I've had surgeries where I've needed to be aware and alert to aid. It was interesting, but I'd rather nap through it.;)

--Pete

[Maitre]

Hi,
I hope, for your sake, that there's no history of diabetes in your family. Nor of rheumatoid arthritis.

As for lost time, I've had surgeries where I've needed to be aware and alert to aid. It was interesting, but I'd rather nap through it.;)

--Pete

My second surgery experience wa the worst. I started the gas in the prep room and according to the surgeon and team, when they moved me to the surgical suite, I hopped out of the chair and up on the table with little assistance and then when the procedure was over I climbed down and into another chair for the trip to recovery. My memory stopped when the gas started, and picked up again in the recovery room: drives me crazy.

Re: family history of DM and RA, neither in direct family, but DM has figured prominently in early deaths among my maternal second cousins (one at 53, one at 45). I'm only 31, but have been concerned for years about where I may be headed.