Wisdom Tooth Lower Left - Close to Nerve- Help.

[Laura Martin]

Hi all,
I have horrible anxiety which is taken from functioning human to outright banshee when it comes to the dentist. I have had a root canal and 3 regular teeth pulled before and plenty of fillings but my wisdom teeth have remained in my mouth despite every dentist I have ever seen telling me they need to go. The worst is the lower left because according to my dentist, it is close to the nerve in my jaw. Every dentist I have seen about it(I recently moved across the country so I had to find a new dr.) says its going to be super traumatic to have out. This frightened me so bad I have allowed it to get so bad it's broken down to the gum line and there's not much tooth even left above the gum. I've spent too many nights praying it would just fall out on its own and cursing the stars it hadn't yet. Now after 2 years of ignoring it, it's starting to get sore and I fear may turn into PAIN. So I have made an appointment to talk to an oral surgeon on Monday. The thing is I am TERRIFIED of being sedated and no dentist wants to take it out without IV sedation. My worst phobia at the dentist is being out of control. I know I can't be sedated. The thought of it makes me cry, sweat, and have a major panic attack. The thought of being drugged terrifies me, I don't even drink beer for that reason. Plus I have hypoglycemia( low blood sugar) so fasting before surgery would be a very rough option for me. But now this dentist has scared me that having it out while I am awake will be traumatic too. I don't know what to do and I'm really scared. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[carole]

Hi to the forum.

I am not a dentist, the dentist may have meant that it is a traumatic extraction but not in the way you are thinking. They use the word to describe part of the procedure not that it is traumatic for you.

I once heard a dentist use this word and of course I went into a panic until he explained that it wouldn't be traumatic for me but something to do with the tooth.

I don't think I am explaining this very well but it probably isn't what you are thinking it is. I understand how you feel about being put to sleep I am the same but there was a time that I was given GA for my wisdom surgery and I was fine. They are very good and are used to us being nervous and terrified. You will be fine and a lot of people do have wisdoms out with just local and are fine.

You need to discuss this more with the surgeon so that hopefully they can put your mind to rest. By the way when you have GA you are monitored all the time so nothing will happen to you.

I hope this helps a bit and I wish you all the best for your up and coming appointment.

 

[Scarlett88]

Trauma in medicine doesn't have the same meaning as traumatic in psychology.

Trauma means physical injury or wound. Traumatic means refers in this case to the procedure of having a wisdom tooth extracted. It is extraction, it is "surgery", there will be wound, there will be an injury happening to your mouth otherwise non injury like state. Just as Carol said the use of word doesn't mean the it will be super scary.