I did it! Three wisdom teeth finally gone!

[JessicaB]

Yesterday I had two top wisdom teeth and one impacted lower wisdom tooth removed by an oral surgeon with IV sedation. My appointment was for 1pm and I was nervous all morning (luckily also had no appetite seeing as I had to fast for six hourse) but also strangely calm at the same time. My partner took the afternoon off work to drop me off and pick me up. I got there and filled out the form for the anaesthetist, then it seemed like ages I had to wait before going in. I'm pretty sure they were running late. Then eventually the anaethetist who I had never met before came and got me from the waiting room and took me to a small room next to the operating theatre where he asked me a few questions about medications, general health etc, then he took me to the dental chair in the operating theatre and he inserted the IV. He didn't really warn me so I saw the needle before he put it in which didn't help. It wasn't too bad though and I was glad once that was in. Then the surgeon came by and asked how I was and if I had any questions and told me I was going to be fine. I think by the time they folded back the material covering the instruments to reveal them (there were quite a few) I had already had some drugs in the IV so I wasn't too fussed. The only other thing I remember is the surgeon asking if I was starting to feel numb on the left, but I don't even remember him giving me the LA. After that I remember the nurse accompanying me to the recovery room and in my mind I kept thinking that they hadn't started, or at least hadn't finished, and that she would be taking me back in shortly to finish off the job, because it was honestly like it never happend as I didn't 'wake up' once during the procedure. In hindsight that obviously makes no sense, as they wouldn't have taken me to another room and brought me back, but at the time I just couldn't believe that it had already been done and I hadn't even realised it.

Once I was in recovery the nurse commented that I was fairly alert and should be fine to go home soon. I think I sat there for about half an hour witht he gauze in my mouth, feeling a little sleepy but not sick or woozy or anything, and then she took the gauze out and checked that the bleeding had stopped and then my partner arrived and took me home. I felt a little wobbly on my feet but that was all. The numbness wasn't even too unpleasant, even though it was top and bottom one side and top the other side. I don't know why this is, because I remember feeling much more numb and much more uncomfortable from getting top and bottom fillings at the same time. I don't know why this is. The numbness also wore off more quickly this time. Maybe they give less LA when IV is used? I'm not sure.

I think though having an extremely skilled and competent surgeon, and maybe a little luck, I have had not had a puffy face (even though my dentist and surgeon both told me this would happen) and no bruising. There is a little bit of localised swelling around the extraction sites but that's it. I have taken some mild painkillers (paracetamol with codeine) buit I honestly think I could have even survived without them, and that's coming from someone who doesn't deal with pain at all. The worst pain I have actually had was the stomach pain I had yesterday morning and again last night which I put down to stress. I think I needed the painkillers for that more than my mouth!

It was all over so quickly and it was so easy it's just like everyone has said - the waiting and worrying is far, far worse than the reality. The IV sedation was wonderful and really removes you from the situation, without the need to worry about going to hospital or having a general anaesthetic.

I have a follow up appointment with the surgeon on 29 October and then that's it, I'm done! I do still have to hope that the horizontally impacted wisdom tooth I have left behind doesn't cause me any problems, or if it does, that I can find a surgeon who is willing to remove it with IV sedation.

Thanks again for all your messages of encouragement over the last few months. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies and have to actually experience these things for ourself before we genuinely believe, yes, it really can be that easy!

 

[Razzle3]

Congrats Jessica! Your triumphant post was wonderful to read. Go you! Take care and may you celebrate this weekend!

Mona

 

[April]

Well done Jessica, brilliant news

Have a great weekend, it will be the best 'worry free' one you have had in ages

 

[muso]

Well done indeed....A very inspiring read ..thank you

 

[olivacs]

Great job Jess! The wait is truly the worst of all things. Now you can relax that it's finally over..

 

[drummerswife]

WAY TO GO JESSICA!! SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! I know this has been a long time coming for you and know you must so relieved its over.
Now its time to rest and heal. Take care, you deserve it.

 

[Cielo]

Fantastic, Jessica! I wish my dentist offered IV sedation, I would have loved to check out for any major work. Your story will be a great help to others that might be worrying about the whole IV sedation route.

Congratulations and well done!

 

[JessicaB]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies, I'm glad you enjoyed reading my post

Cielo I don't think many general dentists in Australia offer IV sedation either. My oral surgeon doesn't even do the sedation himself - he calls in a specialist anaesthetist for the afternoon on which all his procedures are done. The anaesthetist is actually employed by a different practice who only do anaesthetics for all sorts of medical procedures, not just oral surgery. This meant there was a separate charge, separate consent forms etc, so it was quite expensive but very much worth it. The unfortunate thing about this though was that on the day of the surgery I was greeted by the anaesthetist who I had never met before, and only saw the surgeon for a minute while he asked me how I was and if I had any questions. Luckily by this time I felt reasonably calm as I knew that all the waiting and worrying was nearly over, so it didn't really matter too much in the end, but I can imagine it would be difficult for someone who was still feeling very anxious.

Then again I'm guessing it's all going to be very different when I go back tomorrow to have the bone/tooth fragment seen to. That will end up being the most interaction I've had with the surgeon throughout the process so I'm still a little nervous about that, even though I think I feel quite comfortable with him.

 

[drummerswife]

Just had to chime in here and say its so interesting to me how things are done in different parts of our world. Here in my state of Nebtaska where I live in the US, oral surgeons are also trained in the use of anesthesia and administer it themselves after which the patient is closely monitored by a surgical nurse throughout the procedure. However, I am not sure this saves on cost because these folks charge a pretty penny for their services.