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Wisdom tooth extraction under sedation?

W

WembleyBear

Junior member
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
3
Hi there

I'm booked in to have one of my lower wisdom teeth out tomorrow under sedation. It is painful but the tooth is not impacted, though the tooth is heavily filled and a bit loose.

I'm a real wuss with pain though I don't mind injections particularly, so I've opted for sedation - I had IV sedation recently when I had to have some unpleasant injections into my neck joints in hospital and I have to say it was brilliant. I don't have any memory of the procedure and it was painless.:)

However, I noticed on the paperwork I got from the dental surgery that they indicate Inhalation Sedation OR IV sedation. I really don't fancy the inhalation idea - I had teeth out as a child 30 years ago at a dentists where I had to breathe in a gas and I remember distinctly feeling agonising pain while I was under, the revolting smell of the nose mask and being very sick afterwards. The fear of that mask and the noise/smell of the gas plus the pain factor is still upsetting to me now.:mad: It was horrendous and I don't fancy a repeat, but my wisdom tooth pain now is prompting me to go tomorrow. I'm sure it must have changed since then?

Will I be able to specify IV sedation at the surgery do you think? I'm worred enough about the extraction anyway, will it come out in one piece etc etc .I have arranged an escort to drive me there and back, but I don't want to create a scene....

Martyn
 
Of course you can say you want IV. If they don't agree, walk out. It's that simple. I once was having an operation (not dental) and had agreed about GA. Somehow they didn't know about it there but it was OK and everything was just fine. And maybe that paper is the same for everyone.

Personally I don't think you would even need IV sedation because the extraction is painless. But it's your choise.
 
Hi Marty,
inhalation sedation today is very different from what it was 30 years ago, you can find some more info here:

Inhalation sedation

Inhalation sedation (laughing gas) does not have the same effects as IV sedation. It sounds like you're hoping to be sedated quite deeply. If this is the case, you should speak with the surgery beforehand to make sure it's IV sedation you are getting. It's always better to clear these things up beforehand, rather than be left wondering what exactly is going on!

Best wishes and let us know how you get on :grouphug:
 
You didn't have inhalational sedation 30 yrs ago, what you had sounds like a very light general anaesthetic. Very commonly done for children's extractions back in the 60s and early 70s. As Let's says, I.S. is a very different thing. As for the forms, it's probably just a common consent form for both kinds of sedation, we use those.
 
Thanks for all your replies, they've made me feel much better - I'm panicking as usual at the eleventh hour!

I will definitely be clearing the type of sedation up with the dentist/nurse in charge of it before agreeing to it. I'm hoping it will be an easy pull and all over and done with relatively quickly, it's the childhood memories which I'm trying hard not to dwell on.

As Gordon says, think I was put right (or almost) out when I was a child with the gas - a hateful experience - but I'm sure things have moved on since then. The sedation I had in hospital recently for the treatment of the nerves in my neck was great - apparently I was concious and talking to the consultant all the time, but I remember nothing of it after he gave me the injection - a much better experience which was why I want to have the wisdom tooth out under IV as well.

Wish me luck for tomorrow!
 
Well, I had my wisdom tooth out on Saturday and it all went very well. I had IV sedation - apparently I was in the chair for about 30 minutes but it felt like about 2 minutes! I was awake, but feel very pleasantly relaxed (unusual for me) and it seemed like the dentist just tinkered very slightly in my mouth, no pain, no soreness and I felt so well afterwards I went to the cinema with the friend who was transporting me!;D

My advice - if you're having what could be an awkward extraction - get the IV sedation, relax and get it sorted! Thank goodness for Dental Fear Central - otherwise I might not have gone...:)
 
That's excellent news :jump::jump::jump: - well done :cloud9: !!
 
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