Wisdom teeth extraction

[fireheart]

Everyone else has given you better advice than I could, except for this:

DO NOT get a milkshake within 24 hours of the surgery. Drinking a milkshake when your mouth is sore is great, until you look down and see that your milkshake is now filled with blood.

Sorry that's disgusting but damn funny.

Thanks for the warning about jelly though. Fortunately we're starting to warm up around here, so I have an excuse for icecream and iceblocks.
As for the Aeroplane Jelly, they have Create-Your-Own Jelly, so you can mix up your favourite drink within. (You can't put pineapple, kiwi or pawpaw in it because it doesn't set) So I might do some Vanilla Coke Jelly

Blaque, when I find out the date for it, I might get lucky and my boyfriend could possibly get away with taking the day off, but we'll see. As we're not a de facto relationship, it might be a bit more complex. (We've been dating for 2 years)

[fma_fanatic]

I had one removed when I was still in high school. I took the bus to the dentist, he yanked it, then I went on to summer band camp. Shoulda gone home, I couldn't play my clarinet worth a darn.

The other two were removed a few years later. Yanked and that was it. I only had 3 total.

I've got an extraction coming up and I'm not looking forward to it. My dentist doesn't do extractions, so he's sent me to an oral surgeon who said it'll be easy. I'm dragging the husband with me because I know I'll feel better with him there.

[trailerparkmedic]

Fireheart, the conscious sedation I took is a pill. IV or gas is probably a general anesthetic.

If things are set up like they are in the US, you will NOT be able to go home without an escort. I had to provide the name and phone number of my ride before my appointment and I was in no shape to get myself home (car, bus, bike, or any other way that involved my own judgement).

[fireheart]

Fireheart, the conscious sedation I took is a pill. IV or gas is probably a general anesthetic.

If things are set up like they are in the US, you will NOT be able to go home without an escort. I had to provide the name and phone number of my ride before my appointment and I was in no shape to get myself home (car, bus, bike, or any other way that involved my own judgement).

If it's being done at the clinic, they only do gas or IV.

Things are set up a little bit different, it depends on whether you're sedated or not or whether you're using local or general. For insatnce, when I had the implanon put in, I had a local and was told I couldn't drive. They let me sit in the waiting room for 30 minutes afterwards as recovery. I bussed it home after that.

[MaggieTheCat]

If yours came in straight and there's no complications, it's going to be a piece of cake, seriously.

I actually had my wisdom teeth taken out over the course of 3 visits. The first I had made mainly for my husband, who lost one of his crowns and needed an emergency visit to get a new one fitted. I asked if they could see me at the same time, since I knew my one rotted wisdom tooth was in bad shape and would likely need to come out. The dentist took a look at it and said, "Yup, it needs to come out, want me to do that for you today?" I was like, "Uh sure" and half an hour later I was one tooth short.

Since that was an "emergency" visit they didn't do anything else but the dentist advised me to come back soon to have the rest of them taken out, as well as have some fillings done. I asked if they could do everything on one side of my mouth one day, and everything on the other side two weeks later, so I could still chew reasonably well in the meantime.

So the next time I went back, I had some fillings done, then it was time for the extraction. The dentist poked my gums a bit to make sure I was still numb enough (from the fillings) for the extraction. Then I saw him pick up a tool so I opened my mouth and closed my eyes -- I don't like to have my eyes open for anything they do, it helps if I just close my eyes and try to relax. I felt a slight pressure in my mouth, then the dentist leaned back and the nurse stuffed some gauze in my mouth and told me to sit up. I was like, "Uh, is this gonna take long?" And the dentist was like, "Nope, you're all done! Here's your tooth, wanna see it?" And I seriously didn't believe it was over till he actually showed me the tooth. I hadn't felt ANYTHING and it took him less than 20 seconds to actually pull it.

The third time, I had the rest of the fillings and the last two wisdom teeth pulled. I think both of the extractions took maybe 5-10 minutes? I was a little out of it because they had to give me extra Novocain (or whatever) for that one, apparently I'm a bit more sensitive on that side of the mouth, and one of the extractions did hurt a little when he pulled it, but it was over so fast that it was really more uncomfortable than anything.

[Sapphire Silk]

General anesthetic involves the use of inhaled anesthesia. Patients are usuall intubated for General (the sole exception being nitrous oxide, which is still used some in dental procedures), though some procedures can be done on an outpatient basis.

Moderate sedation (formerly conscious sediation) involves the use of IV anesthetics. Versed and an opiate are most commonly used. These are out patient procedures than can be done in doctor's office but do require special monitoring equipment (ECG monitor, BP, pulse oximetry monitor, and available oxygen as well as reversal agents for the drugs).

Local anesthetics are injected into soft tissues and/or a specific nerve. Novocaine (a variant of lidocaine) is commonly used in dental procedures (the usual nerve involved is the 7th cranial nerve, or Facial nerve).

Regional anesthetics involve injecting medication in large nerves or nerve roots and producing numbness over a large body area. An example include a pudendal block, or numbing the pudendal nerve via the vagina during childbirth to numb the perineum.

Wisdom teeth are usually extracted using a local (sometimes with inhaled nitrous, though this is falling out of favor in dentistry due to complications). It's no worse than getting any other tooth pulled.

If the wisdom teeth are impacted (growing in the wrong direction, usually against other teeth or into the jaw) the moderate sedation is often used.

General is rare, for situations such as Seshat described.

Ask the oral surgeon what kind of anesthesia he plans to use and what to expect for recovery.

With any kind of anesthetic that impacts consciousness, expect to be loopy, sleeping and tired for a day or two after the procedure. You should not be alone for 24 hours after the procedure, and of course should not drive or do anything requiring alertness. You can and should take pain medication as needed. Be alert for nausea and vomiting during the period, and if too unsteady on the feet, make sure your caregiver is available to assist you to the bathroom.

Dry socket happens when the blood clot gets accidentally sucked out of the now empty socket. The socket gets inflamed and sometimes infected from the over dryness that results. It is very painful. Be very careful not to make a sucking motion with your mouth to avoid this; no straws!

Avoid dairy products for the first 24 hours to avoid nausea that is sometimes a complication of generals or moderate sedation. Stick to clear liquids only: broth, jello, juice, water.

A neat trick my mother used when I had my wisdom teeth out: she took 2 knee socks, filled them with ice, tied them together, and looped them across the top of my head so the ice rested against the sides of my mouth. Ice for the first 24 to 48 hours will prevent post op swelling and reduce pain.

[fma_fanatic]

^^^

And this is why Panacea is teh awesome Thank you for the explanation.



I mean it in all seriousness. Sometimes it takes someone who knows about this kind of stuff for it to make sense.

[Primer]

I had my wisdom teeth out when I was 17 simply because there was not enough room for them in my jaws. I was given a choice as to whether I wanted a local or to be put under. I opted to be put under. The dentist did not have me do any counting, but I do remember him saying, "It ought to be starting to take effect by now." I looked up at the clock on the wall, saw two clocks, and the next thing I remember was being in their little "recovery room" after it was all over.

The whole thing took about 2 hours before my mom could take me home. I napped for a bit, then got up and drove myself to a choir concert I had to sing in that evening.

[Kogarashi]

I had mine out at 18 in preparation for going to college halfway across the country; we decided to get it done then so as to avoid any tooth complications while I was away from my parents and their dental plan, since my teeth were at least partially impacted.

I seriously didn't want to be conscious for any of the procedure, after hearing my friend's description of getting two of hers out while awake, so I opted to be put under. One minute the oral surgeon's explaining something to me and repeating himself, the next the room is empty save for the surgeon's assistant (waking me up), and I was moved to a recovery room. Mom drove me home, and I spent the next three days narcoleptic due to the anesthesia (learned it was that, as I had the same exact reaction to being put under for a C-section six years later). I only managed to wake up long enough to roll over in bed, switch which side of my face my ice pack was on, or eat a bite of yogurt. Oddly enough, I didn't have any nausea from the yogurt. Go figure.

I got dissolving stitches, but was warned against dry socket anyway, so don't think stitches are a free pass to use straws. I believe my pain meds were Tylenol and Codeine, which I took on schedule which helped with the pain for the prescription's run, after which I was able to switch to ibuprofen. Also, make sure to take good care of your mouth for quite a while afterward. I ended up with an infection in one of the sockets four weeks after the extraction, and was put on antibiotics for it. That was not pleasant. My jaw hurt, my cheek was puffy, and I looked like I had a bruise.

[Food Lady]

I had my wisdom teeth out when I was 17 simply because there was not enough room for them in my jaws. I was given a choice as to whether I wanted a local or to be put under. I opted to be put under. The dentist did not have me do any counting, but I do remember him saying, "It ought to be starting to take effect by now." I looked up at the clock on the wall, saw two clocks, and the next thing I remember was being in their little "recovery room" after it was all over. The whole thing took about 2 hours before my mom could take me home. I napped for a bit, then got up and drove myself to a choir concert I had to sing in that evening.

This was my experience when I was 14. I didn't get stitches, or maybe small ones. The wounds were open and I had some kind of device to squirt water in them to flush out food bits. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have the general because it took me out for a day (sleeping) and I believe it was what gave me the nausea (the worst part). I have also had several teeth extracted in the last 5 years with just novocaine, and it wasn't bad at all. I went to work right after. The last visit included a root canal; now THAT is uncomfortable, but not painful. Extractions, unless under special circumstances, are only slightly more trouble than fillings. I don't miss those teeth at all.

[Aramika]

A neat trick my mother used when I had my wisdom teeth out: she took 2 knee socks, filled them with ice, tied them together, and looped them across the top of my head so the ice rested against the sides of my mouth. Ice for the first 24 to 48 hours will prevent post op swelling and reduce pain.

I took two ziploc bags of ice, wrapped them in towels and tied them to my head with a scarf. It worked really well for me and for my friend who I took care of when she had hers removed. You may look really stupid but it really helped with the swelling and I highly recommend it.

For food, I survived on cream of chicken soup (not too hot), fig newtons and animal crackers because I couldn't stand just liquids.

One other thing - I slept somewhat propped up in my bed with pillows for a few nights after my surgery. For some reason I could not get comfortable laying down with the gauze in my mouth. It might be different for you though.

[Seshat]

Now that folks have mentioned it, I remember ice, and being propped up for several days.

Basically, I was a mess. But my wisdom teeth were seriously wrong; growing in the wrong directions and with twisted roots. So don't expect my situation, it's not the normal case.

[Sapphire Silk]

My teeth were bone impacted (all four of them), so my recovery was rather painful but otherwise uneventful. Had the surgery on a Friday, and went back to school (I was 16) the next Monday.

I was in choir; my teacher came by when she noticed I didn't sound quite right during scales, and shook her head in disbelief when I told her what happened.

My friends took to calling me "Chipmunk Cheeks" for the next week or so

My brother's wisdom teeth (at least 2 of them) were upside down and growing upwards into his skull. He had a miserable time.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I was completely unconscious when they took mine out. I don't know if they do that anymore, but mine were pretty hard core impacted, I had four of them, and they had to break them to get them out.

I'm not telling you this to scare you, I'm telling you this to unscare you. It was nothing. My jaw was slightly stiff for about a day or two, there was mild pain, so I took some painkillers, and it was nothing. Had some very mild swelling for a very short time.

The worst part was the horrible halitosis and nasty taste in my mouth for about a week or two until they pulled the stitches out.

[Bardmaiden]

General anesthetic involves the use of inhaled anesthesia. Patients are usually intubated for General (the sole exception being nitrous oxide, which is still used some in dental procedures), though some procedures can be done on an outpatient basis.

I can't have inhaled anesthesia as I have asthma and they don't allow it used with this medical condition here. If I was to have a removal of a tooth under general anesthetic I would have to be referred to the local hospital and have it done there. It was offered to my sister who refused a local because she is phobic of needles and the thought of being injected in the mouth made her run out of the dentists.