Getting wisdom teeth out - share your xperience

[Paul Santiago]

Ouch

I had a Navy Captain as an oral surgeon. A couple of my roots were curved into my jawbone. I swear he was standing on my chest trying to yank them out unitl he started breaking them. He worked up a sweat and earned his weekend off.

edited to add.... I was NOT knocked out.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Paul Santiago

[smokshwn]

Getting all 4 wisdom teeth out (3 impacted) next weekend.....share your experiences! I'm pretty nervous. Ill be COMPLETELY out for the procedure, thankfully....general anesthesia.Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

All,Thanks for the replies! The surgeon is an MD and a maxillofacial surgeon, so he's more experienced than the normal oral surgeon. I didn't know to get the pain meds BEFOREhand. I hope they give me plenty of local anesthesia (novacain?) as WELL as put me out. When I wake up, I don't want to feel anything. :-)I asked him straight forward if he'd been burned by drug abusers and shyed away from prescribing the good stuff, and he said no, he would be sure to keep me comfortable. The only thing I'm a little worried about is I have a fishing trip planned exactly 1 week after the surgery. I'm trusting that I will be able to make my own judgement on whether I'll be up for going. Getting it done on a thursday and have till Sunday night to recover, then back to work on Monday and leave Thursday for the trip. Hopefully there will be no complications and he does a good stitch job. Planning on filling a water bottle with saltwater and gargling with it several times a day while I'm on the trip....not even sure if I'll still need to by then. I'll have to ask the doc.3 of my teeth are laying sideways behind my regular molars, one sideways and pointing a little DOWNWARD! The last one is my only normal wisdom tooth. I'm 25 and he said I'm right on the cutoff age where they don't want to do it (since they don't bother me).

All four of mine needed to be broken apart to get extracted, I was a little sore but I ate pizza that night and was on to normal food the next day.

At worst it's only some discomfort and swelling for a couple of days so I would also suggest some PAMPRIN and Vagisil....

Edited May 4, 2011 by smokshwn

[CZinSC]

I can't remember exactly, but I was about 34 when I had them out, so the 25 yr old cut off is bunk. True though that they don't want to do it later, it just takes you longer to recover when you're older and there can be more complications, but if they need to come out, they need to come out.

I only had two done, plus some other oral surgery ( had a cyst in my jaw ). But my problem was the drugged they knocked me out with wore off after 10 mins. I believe the quote was "we gave you enough to knock a normal sized person out for 90 mins, you woke up in 10" ( i'm 6'4" 300lbs). They were afraid to give me more because i had so much already, so they finished me up with lots of novacaine and nitrous gas. Interesting feeling...felt like I was in a well looking up from the bottom as they were working on me. I was aware, but only minor pain.

Anyway, yes, get your drugs beforehand. Take them when you're concious. If you take oxycodone, write down when you take them. You can get pretty loopy and forget when the last one was. I took them every 4 hours...for 5 days! Mostly because of the surgery for the cyst, not the wisdom teeth. I kept the pain to a bare minimum but when I went back to work, i crashed hard because i stopped taking them cold. If you take them for a few days, ween yourself off.

Also, the ice wrapped around the head is a good call! Someone previous posted that. I'll take it a step further. Buy several bags of frozen peas. Use them as ice packs. The peas will mold to the side of your face a lot better than ice. Rotate them out so you always have some frozen ones ready to go. I used a wide ace bandage wrapped it over my head under and then under my chin. Stick the bag of frozen peas on the side. You look foolish, but hey, it works. This will do two very important things: cut down on the pain, and reduce swelling/bruising. If you don't ice, you will get black and blue marks on your face.

Wisdom teeth are no joke, but you will be super glad you got them taken care of. Once the pain is over, you are done.

Dry socket, i had them, the brown crap they stick in there is disgusting, but will relieve the pain instantly. The bad taste in your mouth is worth not having the pain.

Just do what your surgeon tells you to do, to the letter, and you'll be fine.

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to make your fishing trip. You may have a little residual aches, but nothing that will put you out of action.

One last thing I remembered, they give you little plastic syringes to squirt away the particles that get in the sockets. I taped a mini mag light to mine so I could see exactly what i was flushing out. You want to me gentle so the light helps you get right where you need it. Sounds goofy, but hey, again, why not!

Good luck!

[timawa]

Just had my 4 last year. It's growing sideways. I was knocked out. I woke up with sored jaw not gums coz I guess my teeth fought hard before giving up the alamo. 3 days on lortab. Yes it hurts. But very rewarding after a week, no hurting and swolen gums.

[Erik S.]

I really enjoy reading the stories posted here. Barring a few of the "horror" stories told here, I think I'll be ok. I guess the reason I'm so nervous is because I suffer a little "white coat fever" anyway and have NEVER taken anything more than a few tylenol. They're giving me Percocet (oxycodone) for the pain, so hopefully I'll be as high as a kite and minimal pain. I can tell you I am sooooo glad they are putting me completely under. They're also numbing me up so when I wake up, shouldn't have any pain for a few hours while that stuff wears off. I plan on popping an oxy before then so when I come off of the novacain, I'll be comfortable. The doc talked about the nerves AND the sinus cavity and the xrays now are freakin' AMAZING. I looked at the digital image on his screen and you can see the nerves and sinus cavity. He said none of the roots are protruding in there and the nerves are far enough away from my lower teeth that it shouldn't be a problem. Nonetheless, you sign the waiver.

[hitman]

All I can say is better living through chemistry.

You will be fine as long as the drugs are good.

Had mine done 2 and 2, that way I could try and eat something but with the drugs they gave me I didnt want to eat for 2 days.

[DyNo!]

6

Yes, 6...

All I can say is Morphine is some good shit!

[Dan Hefta]

I had mine pulled over 20 years ago, the procdure was nothing. I was driven home by my Father in law, we stopped to get pain meds, I was really out of it I took the pain meds and fell asleep... woke up several hours later sicker than I have ever been in my entire life... threw up blood for a half hour, dry heaves for another hour. Everytime I would thow up my sockets would start to bleed again... long story short, other than broken ribs, it was the worst thing that ever has happened to me. Hope this chears you up.

[stringcheese]

I had mine pulled in boot camp. No gas, just a local. I was fine the next morning with some tylenol. Gas sucks if you ask me. At least you can function after a couple shots.

Try not to suck on the sockets ^^^^ they won't heal and just keep bleeding until you puke blood.

Edited May 4, 2011 by stringcheese

[Corey]

reading all these horrow stories really make me feel good about my experience. I came home all loopy from the drugs and somehow managed to swallow 4 aspirin (after pouring 2 glasses of water down the front of my shirt ) and proceded to wrap ice around my melon. took 4 more aspirin before i went to bed and took 2 more aspirin when i woke up the next day and that was the end of my meds no swelling to speak of tho, which was good

[bassochist]

i had my last 2 wisdom teeth extracted 2 weeks ago, just local anasthesia (they don't use a complete anastethic in my country for this), it had takes about 45 minutes to get them out, the one in the lower jaw had to be drilled into 4 pieces to get it out, the upper one was just pull and twist, after that a few stitches and a bag of ice, and the first 3 days 2 iboprufen a day, and little to no pain or swelling.

[Erik S.]

Great to hear that!!!! I believe 2 of mine (for sure) will have to be split/drilled apart. Doc said he might have to remove some bone from my jaw on the worst one (lower left). Hope he's wrong and it's just floating in there. haha

[blaster113]

Had all 4 of mine taken out when I was 24-25. Got the IV anesthesia to knock my ass out. Glad I did. When I came out of it the oral surgeon told me I had the biggest molars he had ever seen, like horse teeth (Mr Ed). Suffered the next few days. Pain pills didnt do squat so I ended up taking shots of whiskey to supplement the pain pills Glad thats over with

[Bear23]

I had four wisdom teeth pulled 25 years ago. Other than that I've never had any other dental problems.

Pat

So you were like 50 when you had it done?

[Bear23]

Get ready for some pain. the mouth hurts, especially if those things are impacted, i.e. need to remove some bone and split them...

Avoid a dry socket...at all cost. do not do anything strenous for about a week, no lifting or exertion...

If you are on pain meds, (percocet, et al.) use a stool softener even straining at the toilet will yield a dry socket.

[Erik S.]

They are giving me percocet and I have read online that it may cause your pipes to "stop up"....Do I just drink prune juice or take an actual medicine?

On another note (regarding pain), they will probably have to remove a little bone on my lower left tooth. I have never taken more medicine than 2 extra strength tylenol for a fever when I'm sick. Hopefully the percocet will do a decent job with the pain and not make me sick to my stomach.

[3quartertime]

Got all four pulled in boot camp. Seems my dentist at home really sucked cause on 'dentist day' in boot camp I had like 5 fillings then got carted over to the hospital for some more jaw dropping action! The good thing was the oral surgeon was a chick!

Same story. Awake all the time. None of them were outside the gums and I had zero discomfort, but that wasn't enough for Uncle Sam! They shot me up pretty good, but it was a weird feeling when they would put the clamp around the tooth and bust it. Had to get the grinder out and modify the jaw bone some too. Just weird... I think I got 12 hours of bed rest. My company commander looked at it and said that it was BS. He let me march in the 'gimp squad' for about half a day then it was full on! lol... The guys said I looked like a chipmunk cause I had stretch lines on my cheeks like whiskers and my cheeks were swollen! Of course I got dry socket. If hurt, but it got me out of stuff cause I had to go to the clinic and get checked out for about a week. If they gave me any pain meds I don't remember them.

Actually it was a pretty good way to do it! 18 years old, living the tough guy life in boot camp, no time to complain.

If I was doing it now I'd be a big baby and have them put me out!!!

[blaster113]

For the amount of time I suffered afterwards, Im glad I was a wuss and got knocked out with the IV. My Jack Daniels/Percocet cocktails afterward barely did shit.

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Sorry I didn't have time to share my experience with you at today's match. Mine was FUN! My doctor was a total perve...heard rumors about him doing the nurses in his office and sure enough....every nurse he had was HOT!!! I was 15 and I remember my nurse rubbing up against me and me getting pretty excited. They put me out and when I woke up, my mom was waiting on me. I asked her if I could drive home. I felt so good! She looked at me like I was crazy and of course kept the keys to herself.

A couple days after the surgery the surf was head high....big surf for South Carolina....and I went surfing high on the perkacets or whatever narcotic I was prescribed. That was a fun day of surfing. God bless painkillers.

I took good care not get dry socket which my wife got when she had her's removed. She was not a happy camper.

[ken hebert]

had all 4 taken out by oral surgeon, all impacted, 2 days before the start of my senior year of HS. general anesthesia before, i blinked and they were done. home by noon, slept till 7pm. up, sat on couch and took ONE vicodin and mom told me i stared at the ceiling for 4 hours afterwards. they gave me a little bent tip plastic syringe to wash the sockets out with, and i kept up with it. they closed up in maybe 7 months or so. after surgery i never really had any pain, and like i said, only took one vicodin. was a breeze.

[warpspeed]

Who is taking them out ? I had mine removed by an oral surgeon. ( my dad is an orthodontist ) It was far better experience than having my appendix taken out .

I do not remember any problems. Just follow the directions and IMHO, take the pain meds BEFORE you feel pain.

[Classic_jon]

I had all 4 pulled at once by an oral surgeon. 2 impacted at an angle and 2 just barely poking through the gum.

When we got into the room they asked me if I wanted to be conscious or not and I reached over with my left hand and slapped the vein in the crook of my right arm a couple times and stared the anesthesiologist in the face and said "knock me the hell out!" and grinned real big. He looked at me for a second and then started laughing so hard he nearly fell off his stool. Took him a couple minutes to get it back together enough drug me up.

If you get a good doc it is not all that bad. The worst part for me was the ache in my jaw for a couple days but codeine helped out there.

[sirveyr]

I had all four of mine removed about 20 years ago. I was given a local and some gas to take the edge off, so I was awake for the procedure. I remember the surgeon grunting and straining to get one of them out and a drop of his sweat falling on my chin. He was working pretty hard apparently. I can't recall any unpleasantness that was out of the ordinary. I was back to dipping Copenhagen two days later. I learned that you can get quite a buzz when the tobacco juice goes directly into four open wounds.

Edited May 8, 2011 by sirveyr

[AzShooter]

I had all four pulled out while I was in the military. Dentist smiled and said this is going to hurt. When he hit me in the pallet with the needle I had a reflex action and did a roundhouse from the bench and kicked him in the head.

Send me home and I almost lead to death. I later had that Colonel thown off of the base because the military rule at that time was not to pull more than two wisdom teeth at a time.

[fastmtnbiker33w]

I can't recall any unpleasantness that was out of the ordinary. I was back to dipping Copenhagen two days later. I learned that you can get quite a buzz when the tobacco juice goes directly into four open wounds.

That's nasty!