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Wisdom Tooth Extraction (Positive Experience)

C

ChrissyE

Junior member
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Messages
1
Hello Everyone,

I am generally not someone who posts a whole lot but I felt very passionate about being able to share my experience so that maybe it will help others who were feeling the same anxiety regarding this topic.

Here is my wisdom tooth extraction success story...(sorry that it is a bit long but I wanted to try and include as much of my experience as possible) :)

A bit of background...
I have never been a fan of the dentist but until recently I would not have described it as a phobia. I have anxiety about several other things but the dentist had never really been one of them. However, after having been told (approximately 5 years ago) that I would need my wisdom teeth extracted I gradually became less likely to follow through on my routine check ups and cleaning. Fast foward a couple of years and two very nasty wisdom tooth infections later I knew that I really had no choice and that at least one of wisdom teeth would need to be removed. After seeing a local dentist I was referred to a local Oral Surgeon. On the day of my consulatation I was extremely nervous. The Oral Surgeon was very understanding (which helped ease my fears a little). However, at the consulatation I was told that I would need the upper and lower wisdom teeth extracted on my right side (eep! definetly not what I had wanted to hear). Knowing that the extractions were inevitable was a nightmare. I obsessed about it non-stop (for months on end). As the date for the extraction grew closer I drove friends and family nuts asking a million "what-if" questions. I also spent hours upon hours searching the internet in an attempt to gain more knowledge and try to ease my mind. Finally, it was the week of the extraction. My anxiety kept me up all night...but exhaused me in the day. I felt like all I did was sleep, obsess and scower the internet. I knew that it was inevitable...I kept thinking that having my tooth out would prevent me from experiencing the pain of another bad tooth infection. However, these thoughts only eased my fear slightly. The thought of "what if" had overpowered my thinking..."what if I freak out and run out of the chair when he is half way through pulling my teeth out", "what if I am allergic to the local anesthesia", "what if the local anesthesia makes my mouth so numb that I can't breathe or swallow", "what if I get so anxious that I pass out"...the list went on and on. Finally, the day of the extraction had arrived...here is how it went...

The day of the extraction...

Appointment time 12:00

1.Woke up around 9:45 am (After having slept only a few hours)
2.Went with my significant other to get some breakfast
3.At 10:30 I contemplated taking the Valium that I had been perscribed-then became anxious about the dosage
4.Followed the Surgeons directions to take the Valium 1 hour before surgery (but I only took a portion-darn anxiety...ironic right...anxious to take the medicine to make me less anxious).
5.Set a timer to see how long before the Vailum kicks in...10 min...15 min...20 min...
6. Time to leave for the Oral Surgeons office...not sure that the Vailum kicked in but I didnt feel as sick to my stomach as I had earlier in the morning.
7. 11:35 arrived at the Oral Surgeon...listened to some good music on the radio tried to compose my self...felt anxious but not paniced (perhaps the Vailum was working).
8. Checked in and paid the nice lady at the front desk...sat in the waiting room (for only 5 minutes or so).
9. 11:55 I was called back by the Oral Surgeons assistant who was a very nice and friendly young lady.
10. I was asked if I took my Vailum (I told the truth and said yes...but not all of it like I was supposed to).
11. A few minutes later the Suregon comes in...asks about the Vailum and if I wanted some gas to help me relax...I said no...he asked if I wanted to take the full dosage of Vailum and come back another time...I said no (I guess it was working...because otherwise I may have jumped at the chance to get out of the surgery).
12. Oral Surgon preps needles to numb me up...I felt a tiny pinch when numbing the sides near the jaw and a slightly more uncomfortable one when numbing the room of my mouth. Seriously, it was nothing...about 100x less then what I had expected. Was it fun...not really...did it hurt...not so much.
13. After a couple of minutes Surgeon checked back to see if I was numb yet...I was somewhat...but not fully so he gave me another shot and waited a couple more minutes. (I didnt even feel the additional shot)
14. Next, it was time to extract my teeth...(mine were erupted-so I was lucky.. although one had a flap of gum partially over it-which is why it kept getting infected).
15. The suregon pulled the top one first...there was mild pressure and after approximetly 30 seconds it was out! When they told me it was out I could have cried...I could not believe it...no pain whatsoever!
16. Next, the bottom one...this one took approximatley 2 minutes...I heard some crunching but it was not terrible...just kinda like a strange noise...not alarming. It turns out that the roots from my bottom one broke and thus had to be extracted in pieces...I did not feel them removing the pieces it simply felt like some light pressure. (plus it happened super quick)
17. They were out...finally...after years of anxiety...it took like 5 freaking minutes! I had gauze in my mouth but I could not help but laugh and tell the Suregon that he was awesome!
18. I walked out the waiting room where my significant other was waiting for me. I had a smile on my face and I said (well I mumbled...that it was "nothing"). I was so happy...and proud!
19. Flash foward to today...3 days post extraction and (knock on wood) I feel good...I have been taking over the counter pain medication...but have not felt the need for anything stronger. The pain I have experienced is more like an ache then it is sharp.


In summary...I waited far to long to have this procedure. I suffered through terrible pain when it was infected-not to mention I lost several sick days at work (boo :cry:). It was quick...and painless for the most part (that local anesthesia works wonders). In the end the worst part (by far) was the anxiety and worry leading up to it. After all is said and done I am down two wisdom teeth...and honestly I feel very proud and brave. I hope that this helps someone...I know that reading these boards/forums really helped me...it was nice to know that I was not alone...and that I could do it!
 
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.

It's too bad we have such trouble quieting our racing minds and worried fears, because it's almost always the case that the actual procedure is so much easier than our imagining of it. But each positive story helps fight back the fears.

Thanks again for sharing, and congratulations!
 
Your story is me to the tee. I am terrified beyond living and I suffer with severe anxiety too. I hope I can make it through like you did and post positive results. Thanks!
 
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