carole, steve in cleveland, dr kimsey help

[banditsmom]

Hi Guys!,

I have my extraction of my right upper molar on wed (non-wisdom). It is broken and had a root canal. Im going to the oral surgeon and taking a xanax before hand. He said if i need it we can use the nitrous. My mom is going with me. He also said the roots are cone shaped and appear straight.

I have had another extraction about a month ago that was quick and painless. Im getting myself so worked up. I keep telling myself what if it breaks and he has to take it out in pieces, what if it won't come out. What if he has to remove some bone. Has anyone been awake and had this happen? was it horrible?

I just want this to be over. I have finally faced my fears, this will be the 3rd extraction and then we can move on to the restorative phase and finally get my smile back to something I am not ashamed of. I've been proud of myself for doing this and thought I'd be OK this time but old fears die hard!

 

[lillyh]

Hello,
Yes I have been through a wisdom tooth extraction by a regular dentist, not an oral surgeon(I would rather have had the oral surgeon do it!) The tooth broke into pieces and the dentist had to take it out in three pieces..He said it was actually quicker taking it out in pieces than if he would have had to take it out in one piece..I didn't feel a thing and I'm a huge BABY when it comes to dental procedures...I also had a root canaled tooth extracted by an oral surgeon yesterday and i asked what happens if it breaks and he said "I have my secrets" ! So trust him he will get it out and do it skillfully at that..Best wishes...

 

[banditsmom]

How did the second extraction go? It calms me to read success stories

 

[Steve In Cleveland]

Hi banditsmom,

The extraction I had (#15, molar) was super quick and painless-- way moreso than even I believed. I seem to have a high tolerance for anesthetic and often require a lot of shots to get numb-- sometimes I never do get completely numb-- so I expected it to be at least a little rough, despite what others said. But it was SO easy! And NO pain-- in fact, I didn't even feel the tooth come out. When they sat me back up after five minutes, I thought they were just moving on to some other procedure. My dentist said, "Uh, this is the part where you go home!"

My tooth broke a little bit when they were rocking it, but aside from a really uncomfortable noise, it didn't seem to make a difference. Remember that they're not actually yanking on anything-- they're wriggling the tooth from side to side to enlarge the socket slightly so the tooth just drops out on its own. Picture a tent stake in the ground. Rather than tugging on it, you can rock it from side to side, making the hole a little bigger, and loosening the stake from the surrounding dirt. It's like that. If anything breaks, they just pluck the pieces out. You would think it would be like getting a broken nail out of a piece of wood, that you'd have to dig and gouge all around, but they don't. Every dentist I've ever heard from says that breaking doesn't really matter at all.

My dental assistant, who has a fantastic chairside manor, just kept whispering in my ear ("think of something else... trees, flowers...") which *really* helped. So maybe a meditation tape of some music that calms you would be in order, just to distract from the noises.

All that said, I've been putting off "the tooth that started it all" which is now just a tiny root tip up in my gum, it's worn so much. I wanted to do it last as a kind of symbolic thing, but also to be honest, because I'm still kind of frightened. My dentist says it's so tiny (it's a canine) that it will be way easier than the first one. But I'm still avoiding it. It comes out on April 11th, and I'm sure I'll be nervous as that date approaches. So, sadly, however much you "overcome" your phobia, it still kind of lingers and remains part of you.

You should be VERY PROUD of all you've done, and of the fact that you're continuing despite your fear. Don't get down on yourself for not being "over it"-- I think phobia is something we learn to cope with and live with, but it never really leaves.

Good luck next week, I'm sure you'll be in and out and wondering what all the fuss was about!

 

[carole]

Hi banditsmom, if the roots are nice and straight like the dentist said, that means that he see's no problems with it coming out easily. If for some reason it did break, which I don't think it will, he will simply lift the pieces out.

I had a broken tooth taken out year before last and I was frightened that would break, but I was told the roots were straight and it should be a simple extraction.

It was I couldn't believe how quick it was, in a way I felt robbed, I was all braced for the worst and hadn't slept for a week, I was terrified. It was out in a couple of minutes I didn't even know it had gone until he told me. No pain having it done and no pain after, just a bit sore on my gum.

You will be fine, your dentist knows if there is likely to be a problem and he doesn't see one, try not to worry. It will be okay and we will be whooping it up on here with you after.

All the best to you

 

[lillyh]

banditsmom,
As for the second root canaled tooth getting extracted I have no idea how it went .I was using Iv. Sedation but the oral surgeon had to do a surgical extraction since I think it broke but he said it was no problem! So I guess if the roots are straight it is easy to remove...No worries...If he thought it would be bad they would tell you in advance...