Wisdom Teeth Nightmare

[Guest]

Hi all. I have read a lot of your posts, and I feel the pain of those who are fearful and I appreciate all of those who have tried to help. I am 24 year old OCD ' er with healthy anxiety and four wisdom teeth. Bad combination huh? So I am scheduled to have them out in two weeks and I am terrified. I have two scenarios. Both include my fear of being IV sedated. In the first, I am IV sedated and my four impacted teeth are removed; however I don't wake up because the Oral Surgeon used too much anesthesia. In the second scenario I decide to go throuh the situation with only local anesthesia and during the surgery I either have a heart attack or a stroke due to the stress and intense anxiety that I will surely be facing if I go through with only the Local A. Crazy huh? Anyone else out there ever feel like this? I am sure that either way I go, will not be a happy ending. The teeth are impacted and I want them out because of the damage that could come down the line in years to come though infection or etc. However, I am really having a bad feeling about this surgery. I like the oral surgeon I am going to, and he has a great reputation, however I am still freaked out. I have read all about IV sedation and none of it makes any sense to me. Everyone I have talked to says one minute they are counting backwards, and the next they are waking up bleeding and groggy. I can handle that, however it is the inability to wakeup that scares me. I have heard about people who react poorly to this stuff and how sometimes they heart rates go really low. That really freaks me out. Everyone says for me to just go with the flow and let this thing happen, but as a control freak I am having a hard time with this. Any comments and thoughts are welcomed and greatly appreciated.

Best,

Josh

 

[Guest]

The risk of treatment under IV sedation with LA is less than the risk of treatment under LA alone. How's that for a reassuring sound bite?

The risk isn't exactly zero, there was a well documented case in the US where a "dentist" (and I use the word reluctantly) was convicted of second degree murder following the death of I think 2 patients following their treatment in his office.

However, the drugs used in IV sedation are phenomenally safe and it takes a really determined effort to manage to do any harm while using them, as demonstrated by the chap in NY.

Hope this helps.