Wisdom Teeth...

[MonsieurFish]

Hi,

I know there's been a few threads about this already, but I have a specific situation and would like some advice. I'm going to get my wisdom teeth out sometime this summer.

I went over my insurance and such, and it looks like I have two options. Either I pay 330$ to get sedated, and the rest is covered, or I don't have to pay anything, and I can get the procedure done while awake.

I'm fairly sure I only have 3 wisdom teeth that need to come out, which is a nice touch, but I have been reading so many horror stories about people who have had the procedure done when they were awake, and am wondering if I should pay the 330$?

[Cliche]

Depends on how much of a masochist you are.

Personally, I had it done with a local. Didn't even take the anti-anxiety prescribed beforehand, so missed out on that.

[wooohooo]

Well I got all 4 done and was sedated. It was the greatest thing I did for myself. I'm not sure if there is truth to this but when you're put to sleep - they have to pry your jaws open in a locked position so you tend to get more bruising and pain post-surgery. If you choose to stay awake you get to see the horrors of the drills and hammers and the vibrations and blood but you're opening your jaw not having it done mechanically.

For me, not seeing all the blood (it can be very bloody) and all the machinery into my mouth was well worth the 2-3 days of bruising. But even if you're not sedated, you'll still bruise, just not as bad. It also depends on how the teeth are positioned, if they have to cut through tissue and bone. I'm going to my Dentist tomorrow and I can ask him more about this if you like.

In conclusion I think it is best to ask the Dentist how deep the incisions are going to be and what he feels would be the best route as a small incision isn't necessary to get knocked out.

[AvsJerk]

I stayed awake for two root canals and it wasn't much fun. I can't imagine not being sedated for wisdom teeth...don't they have to hit your teeth with a crowbar or something to loosen them up for pulling?

[GreenLantern]

This is how my experience went..

Sat down, they freeze you up, wait a little bit, then he took this mini shoe horn looking thing and started to dig up the gum covering my tooth. (mine were as deep as it gets, right by the jaw bone) After he had pulled out the necessary gums he used a drill to put a hole down the center of the tooth, or I assume it was the center. After the hole was drilled he took what looked to me like one of those things you use to scrape crab meat out of the claws.. long slender with a hook on the end? (Settle down CC.. let this one go) Anyway it was a bit thicker than that (again, settle down Mr. Crunch) and he stuck it in the hole (holy crap I am just loading people with ammo here) and pressed down against it with all his weight till you hear a *CRACK*. Then he uses pliars to scoop out the fragments of your tooth.

I've had two done so far I have two left to do, and it wasn't bad at all. That is the entire procedure right there, you don't feel a god damn thing. It is all in your head, so if you think you can handle the mental part of it, then you are fine. The first time I had one done I started laughing half way through, I was thinking technically a guy should probably be freaking out. But that won't help anything, so what is the use? Just suck it up and get'er done.

Honestly the worst part for me was the freezing at the start, I can't freaking stand needles.. I just laid there and watched Flames high lights on Sportsnet with the TV over my head.. Find a good dentist to get it done, find someone who knows your preferences. For example some people have to lay a certain way in the chair, some people require breaks when people are cleaning their teeth.. etc.. make sure you are comfortable with the dentist, and that he knows what to expect and it will be fine.

I have friends that have gotten all four done at once, some were fine, others say it was the worst 2 weeks of their life. Mine have been done one at a tim and honestly the next day I was eating regular food and fine, my jaw didn't hurt at all.. and again like I said my two bottom teeth were as close to the jaw as you can get, greatest risk of breaking my jaw and greatest risk of swelling.

[Cliche]

Yeah, if the helper isn't very attentive, blood can pool in your mouth. Also depends on how your teeth are fused with your jaw as well, I know some other people had the roots of their teeth start to wrap around their jaws necessitating more invasive surgery, but mine were pullable, so in went the pliers.

No solid food afterwards either, so I wound up drinking meals in a can and making sure the cotton swabs weren't soaked too much and changing them out afterwards.

Also depending on your gums/healing rate, you may or may not get stitches. I didn't have to get stitches so there's that as well. I forgot if it was a week or more before I could get solid food again.

[wooohooo]

I'm not one to take that procedure (as outlined by GTF) very well. I don't mind seeing it inflicted onto others, but having it done to me I just hate it very much.

[photon]

I was awake for my wisdom teeth, nothing spectacular was done. No crowbars, very little drilling, they had to break one tooth apart but I don't recall that being very traumatic, that tooth had come in impacted.

They gave me Tylenol 3's or something but I only used one, after the freezing wore off I didn't have anything but a dull ache, no bruising..

So I think it varies a lot.

EDIT: Mine were fully out (or whatever the word is).

[Tower]

Originally Posted by MonsieurFish

Hi,

I know there's been a few threads about this already, but I have a specific situation and would like some advice. I'm going to get my wisdom teeth out sometime this summer.

I went over my insurance and such, and it looks like I have two options. Either I pay 330$ to get sedated, and the rest is covered, or I don't have to pay anything, and I can get the procedure done while awake.

I'm fairly sure I only have 3 wisdom teeth that need to come out, which is a nice touch, but I have been reading so many horror stories about people who have had the procedure done when they were awake, and am wondering if I should pay the 330$?

i had a family member get a surgeon to do it... All paid for by the health care system. I have no idea if it was a story though.

My experience was fine as well as Photons. The only thing I remember vividly was the popping sounds in my head from the teeth. I didn't take the 3's and used arnica for swelling.

[flamesgirl18]

I wasn't sedated and I freaked out...just being able to smell and see them working and hearing them....I would definitely say I'd get sedated if I had to do it again. I didn't feel pain but I felt a LOT of pressure and it was a horrible experience. It does cut down on the cost though.

[getbak]

Mine were easy as hell. They came in straight and only needed to come out because there wasn't room for them. I checked my watch after he had put the freezing in and it was 10:20am. I was walking out the door by 10:30.

So, really, it depends on how difficult the procedure will be. From some of the horror stories I've heard from other people, I'd want to be knocked out. From my experience, it would have been a waste of time.

[Jayems]

My local didnt work in one part of the mouth and was one of the most painful experiences yet. The dentist was all pissed, and say 'why the hell are you squirming'

Yeah. it sucked. At least until they did it properly,

Hope you like the sound of breaking bones.

[Jiggy_12]

I was awake for all 4.

They gave me a ton of freezing, and I didn't feel a thing except for the 4th tooth to come out. It was impacted (growing in kind of sideways) and that took a lot more digging and drilling to get out. I think they took it out in 2 parts, and even the pain I felt for that one was pretty minimal given the amount of freezing they gave me.

I couldnt believe how easy the other 3 came out, they just popped out in no time. Whole procedure was maybe 30-35 minutes.

Recovery sucked, but the procedure wasn't too bad.

[wooohooo]

It really depends on how your widsom teeth have grown. If gum have covered it and it's right in the bone well you're looking at a way more invasive measure. It's kinda like taking out your molars as a kid but deeper and bigger with a lot more sound and blood

[4X4]

Mine were complete hell. The dentist was pissed off and frustrated by the end, and my jaw felt like I'd been punched by Mike Tyson. At one point, he got right ticked and grabbed a tooth with pliers, had his hand on my forehead for leverage, and was wrenching the tooth out. Even the assistant was cringing.

If I could go back in time, I'd pay double for the gas. The memory still gives me the willies.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

I got put under when I got mine taken up and when I came to, it felt like someone dropped an anvil on my head. I think the anesthetic was worse then the surgery.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Don't waste your money, just man up and get it done. It is more uncomfortable than painful.
The worst part for me was the needle to freeze my gums, after that it was a breeze. It didnt take too long, and the dentist even broke one of them while pulling. Meh, I barely noticed.

Oh yeah, I had 3 removed and they were slightly showing.

[Ford Prefect]

I had waking sedation, which is supposed to be the cat's behind. It didn't work very well for me ... must have done too many drugs as a kid or something. Anyway, I'd recommend getting knocked out based on my experience. My wisdom teeth were kind of growing into my jaw though, at least two of them were anyway. If yours are pretty straight forward then maybe waking sedation or even just local freezing will be adequate. If there's anything complicated about them, take the sledge hammer. Masochism is for the black leather crowd.

Edit: I've had root canals done without freezing, so I'm not exactly a wuss about dental work. So trust me, wisdom teeth with complications can be unpleasant.

[Dentoman]

Sedation vs. non-sedation is tough question to answer. You have to look at the difficulty of the extractions (based on location and shape of the teeth, bone density, your age etc.) and what your comfort level of being worked on in the dental chair is. If you get anxiety for a simple filling, you should get sedated. If you have had a lot of dental work done previously and are comfortable in the dental setting, then you possibly could go without sedation.
If you are not going to be going to an oral surgeon, make sure that the dentist who is doing the extractions does them on a routine basis. The last thing you want is to get referred to the oral surgeon after getting worked on for 90 minutes .... frustrating for patient and dentist.
All the oral surgeons in Calgary are good .... there isn't one that I wouldn't be comfortable referring to.

[FireFly]

It depends how your teeth are. I was awake for my four coming out, didn't feel a thing and went to work the next day just fine. I've also had a root canal and that was fine too though, so maybe my mouth is just tough?