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Wisdom Teeth - Need Support

T

tgwaste

Junior member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
14
Hello,

I (like many here) have a terrible fear of the dentist which made me not go for about 15 years. I finally went and started a recovery plan. Part 1 was a deep cleaning of all 4 quads, Part 2 was two crowns and now Part 3 is the extraction of 4 wisdom teeth.

Needless to say im pretty scared. They said that the one on my lower right will have some bone come out with it and that they will put some kind of powder in to help heal or something like that. Ive read a million posts on this board now and cant find a single person that has gone through that. Can someone tell me more about that? Im freaking out about it.

Also I noticed that a lot of people here that get IV are awake for some of it. is that true?? i thought it was supposed to put me completely out. maybe im getting general anesthesia instead? they said i would be completely unconscious. i dont know what the difference is.

They say that each one of my wisdom teeth actually require a slightly different way of extraction with the bottom right being the worst.

Any comments would be very welcome.

thanks!
 
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Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I understand it is that with IV sedation, you're conscious and able to answer questions, but you don't really care what's going on. Time flies as though you've slept even though you weren't actually unconscious, and you remember very little of the process.

With general anesthesia, you're unconscious and unable to respond to questions.

I had my wisdom teeth out years ago, and a couple of them required surgical removal of bone and tissue due to the impaction and way the roots were formed. I was conscious with LA and there was little difference between those teeth and the others from my perspective. I know it was harder for the dentist, though, as he had to cut, carve, and scrape more than he'd like. I healed up really well, without much difference between the easier or harder extractions.

Good luck! It sounds like you've got a good plan worked out without a ton of work needed. :jump:
 
is general anesthesia through an IV as well?
 
Hey tg,

The powdered stuff sounds like the dentist may be putting in a bone graft. I think (from my readings online) that this is sometimes done with an artificially generated bone graft material that comes in a powder-like form. It is done, particularly when some bone is taken out with the extracted tooth. Not sure how common it is with wisdom teeth.

I don't think it's anything to necessarily worry too much about, as they'll probably just put in the powder, then suture, then let it heal naturally. Maybe someone else can clarify, as I haven't had this done myself. I've only ever read about it and watched a Youtube video of it, so I'm not sure what the associated processes/outcomes are.

There are a few of us posting about having to get wisdom teeth out soon, me included!! So please take heart that we are all concerned about the process and are here to support you too! :grouphug:

take care,
u.
 
Hi

General anesthesia can be done via IV or gas. However, the medications used for dental IV sedation are far different. These medications produce a deep state of relaxation. During dental IV sedation you can follow instructions and respond to questions.

The medications induce retrograde amnesia, meaning you will not remember any details about the appointment. This is a very safe and proven method of dental sedation.

The powder is to encourage the formation of osteoclasts. This is to stimulate the growth of lost jawbone height due to bone loss. The body absorbs this powder in about 6 months. This procedure is almost 100% effective in restoring the height of the jaw bone.

I hope this helps.

Blessings :)
 
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Hi

General anesthesia can be done via IV or gas. However, the medications used for dental IV sedation are far different. These medications produce a deep state of relaxation. During dental IV sedation you can follow instructions and respond to questions.

The medications induce retrograde amnesia, meaning you will not remember any details about the appointment. This is a very safe and proven method of dental sedation.

The powder is to encourage the formation of osteoclasts. This is to stimulate the growth of lost jawbone height due to bone loss. The body absorbs this powder in about 6 months. This procedure is almost 100% effective in restoring the height of the jaw bone.

I hope this helps.

Blessings :)

oh man, none of that sounds good at all!

I dont want to respond to questions or follow instructions i want to be unconcious!! :)
 
oh man, none of that sounds good at all!

I dont want to respond to questions or follow instructions i want to be unconcious!! :)
I'd have said the same, (in fact I did!) but honestly it's fine.:)

I had a very easy untraumatic experience under GA years ago (they've stopped offering it now in most cases in the UK), and during that they did something that cut away some bone. It felt weird for a while afterwards but it was totally painless and I didn't even need a painkiller when I came round (in fact I went shopping;D)

I had such a good experience with GA the first time, that when I had my treatment done in 2008, I didn't want the IV sedation but had no choice so bit the bullet in the end. And I can honestly say it was even BETTER than the GA experience. As I had a couple of hours' worth of stuff done in one go, I have absolutely no memory whatsoever of the first hour (and most people have that experience), but the second hour I was aware of what was going on. But I was stunned to realise - nothing hurt! (They still give you LA of course, just as if you were fully conscious so you couldn;t feel anything anyway!) I'd never even had so much as a filling with LA so didn;t trust it but apparently it works even better in conjunction with the IV sedation.

I knew everything that went on for the last hour - but felt nothing and slowly realised that *You know, this really doesn't hurt. One bit!*

Since that great experience with IV sedation I have had everything done with no sedation whatsoever - not even a Valium! And I don't need it. I even ahd a root canal done last year on an infected tooth (notoriously tricky) with nothing but LA and it was fine.

The GA I had years ago did not cure my phobia. I felt nothing when it was being done and felt fine when I came round BUT.... I didn't face or deal with the phobia.

IV sedation transformed my feelings re. dentistry. To the point I now go like everyone else and don;t need any sedation at all - itr elaxed me enough for me to realise I was worried over nothing.

The day after my IV, I would honestly have gone straight in and had it again without hesitating. And although I feel I don't need or want it anymore - if I ever had to have a bigger procedure, say, an implant - I wouldn't hesitate to have IV for it, confident it would be fine.;D

ETA: Just realised you're only having extractions - possibly one of the faster and more straightforward procedures than say, making a fiddly crown or doing an RCT. All 4 will be out before you even know you're in the chair, TBH - you should easily still be in the 'deeply sedated' phase so unaware of everything. I ahd a lot of procedures in one go, includign a very big crown and a wisdom tooth extraction and my dentist did those first so they are the procedures I have zero memory of. I'd iamgine they can whip 4 teeth out whilst you are still deeply under.
 
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There is a big difference between IV sedation a general dentist uses and that of the oral surgeon. That is the amount of medication given, the oral surgeon usually does what's called deep sedation, you can still breath on your own but you will be asleep.


The dentist does moderate sedation, you may think you are asleep, kind of out of it or maybe just be very relaxed but you can follow commands etc.....

rp
 
Sorry to hear yourgoing through this

I had IV sedation when i had my 2nd wisdom tooth out and if i was able to answer questions i cant remember it now!!!

I dont remember anything from him injecting me with the stuff (at about 11am) up until about 9pm that night but according to my husband in that time id

- told all the dentist reception the PIN number for my debit card, i was trying to pay and id told my hubby the code in case i was too out of it but i wasnt and as he was trying to do it for me i was shouting out the numbers
-told my dentist i thought he was quite fit :o
-demanded to be given the tooth!!
-gone to my neighbours house and spent two hours talking to her about nothing with her dog sat on my knee
-talking to my mum on the phone


Id highly recommend it and i cant remember a single thing about it!!
 
There is a big difference between IV sedation a general dentist uses and that of the oral surgeon. That is the amount of medication given, the oral surgeon usually does what's called deep sedation, you can still breath on your own but you will be asleep.


The dentist does moderate sedation, you may think you are asleep, kind of out of it or maybe just be very relaxed but you can follow commands etc.....

rp


ah. mine are being done by an oral surgeon so i hope that means deep sedation. :)

6 days and counting till the chair...
 
4 days till the chair...


so what about yawning? if you cant open your mouth how to you yawn? what if you wake up in the morning and your not thinking and you crack a big yawn as i often do?

its the little stuff like that that i dwell on the most.
 
I must have missed where anyone said you can't open your mouth? :confused:

Your jaw may be stiff after, but you can still open your mouth. Just do it slowly at first, and keep moving it.

Have you had a tetanus shot in your arm? You know how they tell you to keep moving your arm after or it'll stiffen up? It's kind of the same with your jaw. Work it slowly and easily as soon as your dentist says it's okay. That'll keep it from stiffening up to the point of not being able to open it. Ice packs and heat help, too. Ice first, then heat.

I suspect those that report they had trouble opening their mouths didn't exercise the muscles enough after their procedures. Yes, it's sore sometimes, but not so painful you can't move it. These same people hold their jaw still to avoid the discomfort (like I did as a kid when I got a tetanus shot:rolleyes:) and then find they can't open it very far when they do want to. But even that is short lived and rectifies itself in time.

It's not anything worth dwelling on, honest.
 
whelp.. its time for the chair. very scared!

:hidesbehindsofa:
 
you'll do fantastic :) be sure to let us know xx
 
they are out.. very disoriented now. more later
 
so i was pretty calm up to the point when they called my name, then i start panicking. i was almost in tears when i sat in the chair i couldn't even talk. but i took deep breaths and the surgeon (quickly :() explained to me what he was going to do trying to calm my nerves. at this point the IV is in and the oxygen starts. The nurse says "just try to relax we already gave you something to calm down, maybe 5 more seconds went by and then BAM i traveled through time 1 hour. i woke up to the nurse asking me to get in a wheel chair where she took me to the recovery room to relax while they went to get my brother. loaded me into the car and now im home.

so far so good. my mouth is still numb and i just took one of the really strong drugs (let the party begin!!).

all of the spots where my teeth were have stitches EXCEPT for the one where they had to do the most work and the bone graph. im a little concerned about that so i called the dentist and they are gonna ask the surgeon.

anticipation was definitely the worst part.

i am VERY thankful to this forum which i read every day (sometimes the same posts multiple times) to give me the extra courage i needed. thank you VERY much.

its over and i never have to worry about it again.

praise the lord!

:yay: :jump:

P.S. actually i dont think i see stitches on the top teeth either. just the lower left. is that normal to not get stitches? i just see holes. i really wish i knew what a healthy blood clot looks like to compare. im scared of dry socket.

Also after 6 hours the bottom left front oy my face is still numb. nothing else feels numb though. is that
normal? or is it just swelling?

sorry about all the questions but this is my first wisdom teeth extraction ;)
 
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Day #2

Everything is great so far. things look to be healing nicely. very little pain, just sore and some inner bruising. i can open my mouth pretty well, i just brushed my teeth which went well. been eating apple sauce, pudding, yogart, and mashed potatoes.

if you get your wisdom teeth out go to KFC and get like 4 large mashed potatoes. its the only way to go. only 145 calories with the gravy for half a large. no sat fat.

:)
 
firstly - here in the UK they don't do mash and gravy at KFC :(

onto the important stuff - you did so well :) congrats :respect::respect:

i'm going for an extraction on 27th and i have much the same conerns as you so I can't actually be any practical help... :( sorry!
 
firstly - here in the UK they don't do mash and gravy at KFC :(

onto the important stuff - you did so well :) congrats :respect::respect:

i'm going for an extraction on 27th and i have much the same conerns as you so I can't actually be any practical help... :( sorry!


no mashed potatoes at KFC there?? thats terrible! what do they have instead?


if youre gonna be put out under IV sedation then it will be great.

this whole experience was 100% different than what i thought it would be. its pretty much been a cake walk. the IV sedation is truly miraculous.
 
same here dude good job and congrats my hats off to you :respect:
 
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