Wisdom Teeth

[Emeraldas]

I was supposed to have my wisdom teeth taken out years ago, but I never did. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to do it soon because today I woke up with a dull ache in my cheek and, though they didn't quite hurt all day, they just felt very wrong and crowded in my mouth. But I'm really nervous because I've never really had surgery. :/

What can you guys tell me about having your wisdom teeth removed? Anything I should expect or prepare myself for? The main thing I'm concerned about is how long I will be "out of it" because, from the looks of things, I need to do this soon and I only have the week of fall break (before the holidays, anyway) in which I don't have to go to class.

[silan]

A week should be enough to heal up.

I had all of mine pulled in one go on one of my vacations. They put me under, which was nice because I didn't really want to be awake as they ripped huge molars from my mouth. I didn't feel a thing.

The only real bad thing is afterwards. My cheeks swelled up, and the medication they gave me made me nauseous. But it healed up quickly enough.

I wouldn't be too worried about it if I were you. Just remember if the dentists are already telling you to get them pulled, then the longer you wait to have it done, the more difficult it will be to remove them.

[ant]

When I was 16 I had my wisdom teeth pulled. The dentist shot me with sadation with a needle half a centimeter thick. After that it was a few cuts a vacuum and a lot of pain killers. The needle hurt the most. You won't feel anything after that. When the surgery is over you will have to take the pain killers or your mouth will hurt. Expect to spit lots of blood until the cuts heal over, but for the most part it is not so bad. And you can get all the pain killers you want, but really it was like taking 10 ibeprofins at once.

Sorry for the spelling mistakes! Hope that helps Esmeraldas.

[Emeraldas]

Just remember if the dentists are already telling you to get them pulled, then the longer you wait to have it done, the more difficult it will be to remove them.

:/ Ugh. I heard somewhere that it was better to wait until they were growing out of your gums (which mine now are), because then they wouldn't have to dig them out.

[silan]

Well, yeah, but if you wait too long, the roots will grow down to the bone and they'll be sawing them out of you.

[ShinoMatrix]

Which is probably what happened with mine... I had assumed that I was going to be put under, however it was just a local that they gave me when they took one of my wisdom teeth out. So I was quite aware that they were doing things inside my mouth, albeit it was of course painless while they were doing it... Nonetheless, with me conscious enough, I figured that they couldn't take out the teeth all in one go. They had to pretty much dig in more (even though it was already protruding from my gums). Afterwards when I heard crunching noises, I realised that the tooth was being taken off piece by piece and well, pain or not, they were yanking it out pretty hard and it was no happy time. My whole mouth was all scarred by the end of the ordeal... sorry to scare you with that, but maybe it won't happen with you :p

[Tyrdium]

:/ Ugh. I heard somewhere that it was better to wait until they were growing out of your gums (which mine now are), because then they wouldn't have to dig them out.Why not ask your dentist? None of us are particularly qualified to answer these questions.

[Kuragari]

Which is probably what happened with mine... I had assumed that I was going to be put under, however it was just a local that they gave me when they took one of my wisdom teeth out. So I was quite aware that they were doing things inside my mouth, albeit it was of course painless while they were doing it... Nonetheless, with me conscious enough, I figured that they couldn't take out the teeth all in one go. They had to pretty much dig in more (even though it was already protruding from my gums). Afterwards when I heard crunching noises, I realised that the tooth was being taken off piece by piece and well, pain or not, they were yanking it out pretty hard and it was no happy time. My whole mouth was all scarred by the end of the ordeal... sorry to scare you with that, but maybe it won't happen with you :p

That's pretty much what happened to me too with all four of my wisdom teeth. First they did the 2 on one side of my mouth, and then the 2 on the other. I guess it was to leave me some small way for me to still eat food.

Em, the most frustrating part (well for me anyway) is you're only going to be able to eat food that'll fit through the small gap in your mouth because, if it's consistent with how mine was, you won't be able to open your jaw very far. I think I could only manage porridge for the most part, lol.

[Emeraldas]

Why not ask your dentist? None of us are particularly qualified to answer these questions.

I'm not asking for professional advice, I just want to know how other peoples' experiences were.

[Roark]

Oddly enough, this was about the easiest surgery ever for me. I was back at work the next day, barely a pain. Then again, I apparently had really easy teeth to get out. I don't think it took more than half an hour.

Plus, the nitrous was kinda fun.

[Dennis]

I had all four of mine out on a friday and was back in school on a monday. The worst part for me was the tenderness of my jaws; I got tired of chicken broth after a while. The plus side I got to lay around on the couch (on top of white bed sheets of course) and watch movies for a weekend.

My suggestions:
Set aside a few movies to watch.
Get a spit bucket.
Keep the hydrogen peroxide ready (to remove blood from clothes et al.)
Learn to love an all liquid diet for a few days.

PS- Funny enough I found AA the day after I had my wisdom teeth removed,

[LadySage]

I've got a bone impaction for my lower two wisdom teeth, which means they're going to have to cut them apart...so I'm going to be put under. Hip hip hoorah, I've never been chemically knocked out before besides Benadryl.

When they first started coming in, though, it hurt like a bitch. As in, I was completely nonfunctional if I wasn't constantly consuming painkillers. It died down after a few days on its own, but the dentist still recommends they be removed.

Of course, I've got a good three months until I'll be home, where my insurance is so I can get them taken out...

[Liegenschonheit]

No big deal. For me, my mouth healed in just a few days. It sounds scarier than it is. Just keep ice on it the first day or two to keep swelling down, and take care of everything like they tell you to and you'll be fine.

No big deal at all, having my tongue pierced took longer to heal than the wisdom teeth thing did.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

I'd never had any tooth operations before, not even fillings, then one day I needed all of my wisdom teeth out.
The pain they were causing was not nice.
The experience was odd, jaw dislocated and my gums got sawn together, but I'm happy they are gone.

[Ritalin]

Wisdom teeth removal is the easiest surgery you'll ever be in. I got all 4 taken out when I was 16, and recovery time was like... 2 days. And they weren't grown in, they actually had to dig into my gums then. It was during spring break, so I had a week of not being in school, but I could have easily went back.

If you get the routine check ups (every 6 months) your dentist should have noticed if you would need your wisdom teeth removed. Not everyone does, and sometimes they just wait because they simply can't tell. Or at least this is what my dentist said (my brother didn't need to get his removed and this is what we were told).

Things that happen the night after surgery: You will vomit blood. Probably lots of it. You're not dying or anything it's just the blood you swallowed during surgery and what the cotton swabs don't soak up when you're at home recovering (you're still knocked up on drugs and sleeping the first night). Other than that, you can't eat some food... no big deal.

[Itachi Uchiha]

I agree with rit and roark... Getting your wisdom teeth taken out is very easy. I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out early in the morning and by the next day I was absolutely fine with just a tiny bit of swelling left over.

Things that happen the night after surgery: You will vomit blood. Probably lots of it. You're not dying or anything it's just the blood you swallowed during surgery and what the cotton swabs don't soak up when you're at home recovering (you're still knocked up on drugs and sleeping the first night). Other than that, you can't eat some food... no big deal.

Are you serious? I never vomited up any blood afterwards... I did eat lots of milk shakes and jello that day though.

[madpierrot]

It was the only time I've ever had surgery. I was a bit nervous going in, but it wasn't too bad. First they gased me so the needle they put in wasn't so bad and that knocked me out cold during the whole thing. I don't like needles that go in the bend of the elbow, that freaks me out and what I was actually most nervous about. The surgery was fine though. I did it two different time b/c apparently it was cheaper with the insurance or something like that.

Afterwards I wasn't too bad eitehr. I guess I was lucky b/c I didn't swell much at all. I guess it took me about 3/4 days before I was completely back to normal, eating regular food and not having any problems with it. I didn't really like the pain killers they gave me though, while they certainly took away the pain the made me feel really... out of it I guess is the best way to put it. Other then that though it wasn't too bad.

[Emeraldas]

I hope they put me to sleep. I don't want to hear them tinkering around in my mouth :/

[Ritalin]

They generally don't put people to sleep, it's not necessary. Instead you'll be in a uber drowsy/trance like state. All I remember is it being foggy, kinda distant sounds, and no feeling coming from my mouth. So it's like being awake but in a dreamland.

Then when you get home you pass out from the drugs and sleep for hours. :D

[Dennis]

I hope they put me to sleep. I don't want to hear them tinkering around in my mouth :/

I was awake, maybe a bit loopy, but the doctor let me listen to my CD player while he was pulling out those suckers.

[Mamimi]

I'm getting mine taken out next summer, and I've been told that I'll have to be put to sleep since my wisdom teeth are going to remain hidden within my gums. ._.

[Ritalin]

I'm getting mine taken out next summer, and I've been told that I'll have to be put to sleep since my wisdom teeth are going to remain hidden within my gums. ._.

Eh? Mine weren't even visible (maybe a VERY small tip of the tooth... actually no not even that) and I wasn't knocked out...

Seems silly to be put completely under for this.

[PassiveObserver]

I recall getting my wisdom teeth removed quite fondly. They put me under and when I came to I was absolutely hilarious. I was singing strawberry fields forever, dispite the fact that my mouth was packed with gauz. When I came home I was rediculously hungry. I had three eggs, and two eight ounce glasses of apple sauce. I asked my mother for a third glass, but she informed me that I had already eaten way to much. My only problem with getting the wisdom teeth out was the medicine they gave me. The pain killers were way to strong and gave me headaches. I just used asprin after the first day and I was fine.