Wisdom tooth operation today D:

[amy2311]

So this afternoon I will be going into hospital to have my wisdom tooth removed under GA, I am not actually all that nervous now! I am more concerned with how I can go another 3 or so hours without drinking anything and eating is a different question all together. I was given some Diazepam by my GP so I am just waiting for that to kick in a bit, but I have found the best way to avoid being freaked out is to have other things to think about, for example I am looking forward to going back to Uni as (from what I saw yesterday) have a really nice flat that was actually CLEAN when I moved in, they said sorry for having not cleaned the windows yet! As a result I am itching to get back there and live so therefore I am like "hurry up" I want it done already! Anyway I will let everyone know how I get on either (if I am well enough) later today when I get back or Saturday when feeling a little more like me.

Amy

 

[Sparkles]

Hi amy,

Just a quick note to wish you well for today. I'm sure you will be fine and will be back home before you know it. Looking forward to hearing how well it went.

 

[amy2311]

Hey, all went well got the two left ones out and I didn't even realise I had fallen asleep, until the nurse told me it was over, I even had a dream whilst I was asleep

 

[gapmouthgirl]

good to hear it went well

so they didn't remove all 4 wisdom teeth? i thought with GA that is what they would do.

 

[amy2311]

The two right hand side ones were fine, the bottom left was a problem and the top left had issues!!! I got GA because I was scared... And besides the left half of my face feels like it has gone to another realm and I don't want the other side doing the same!

 

[gapmouthgirl]

ah, gotcha. if the other two are causing no issue, i say leave them be. my left wisdoms are gone and i still have my rights too (one may need to come out later though). i didn't have GA for mine though, just a rather ineffective iv sedation.

your mouth will go back to normal, don't worry remember to do ice packs before the swelling starts up, and take your pain pills before the freezing wears off.

 

[amy2311]

There isn't all that much swelling just a face that doesn't know where tis, taking pain killers as directed for at least a week possibly longer depending how I feel

 

[gapmouthgirl]

i didn't have to take pain pills past 24 hours after my extractions. no swelling either, and i didn't have to do any ice or heat packs. but if you do feel swelling start up, grab for the peas in the freezer! lol.

 

[Sparkles]

Really pleased to hear it went so well. I bet your relieved that its over and you can get on with things now. Hope things heal up ok, i'm sure it will.

 

[dentalwise]

gapmouthgirl,

What did you mean when you said you had rather ineffective IV sedation? I think I’ve pretty much settled on the decision to remove my wisdom teeth and I’m thinking about having IV sedation instead of GA because of the increased risks associated with the latter. Plus, I've heard that GA requires the patient to take an X-ray as part of the preparation, which doesn’t sit well with me. If IV sedation is enough to keep me from freaking out (and hopefully even make me fall asleep) during the procedure, I may just go with it instead.

 

[gapmouthgirl]

the iv sedation didn't hit me the same way that it does other people. i was fully awake and aware the whole time, and i do not have any of the amnesia effect that the iv is supposed to give. up here, my dentist uses just a single drug - i forgot to ask if it is valium or versed. but whatever drug they used for my iv didn't affect me as it should have, as i've read countless stories of iv affecting people the way it should. not sure if it was just because i was so nervous, and my system fought it, or if the dose was too low (dentist may have kept the dose low for safety? i don't know).

in any case, i am one of that tiny percentage that did not feel the full effect. i'm sure you are not in that same percentage as me. while the iv didn't do it's 'full' job, i was calm enough to have three teeth extracted, all on my left side. i don't fear the dentist any more than i did before, and i know i am able to get fillings done without sedation. it's the sick/nauseous feeling i got when i had teeth pulled in 2009 without sedation that i was trying to avoid with the iv this time around. the iv worked for that, and i am grateful.

 

[dentalwise]

I'm somewhat surprised that your dentist offered IV sedation. I thought that anything more than local anesthesia had to be done by an oral surgeon in a hospital environment.

 

[gapmouthgirl]

my dentist's office has three oral surgeons in it, and they are qualified to do concious iv sedation, as well as have on hand the necessary emergency equipment/training if things should go wrong. it is general anesthesia (where they knock you out completely) that has to be done in a hospital.

 

[Kim]

IV sedation has to be done by someone trained to do it, but can be done in the surgery as opposed to hospital. I had it when I had my extractions (eleven) and didn't know a thing - I with it but have to agree with gapmouthgirl, it's effects will not be the same for everyone, although luckily enough, I wasn't in the really small percentage of people that it doesn't quite have the desired effect - thankfully

And amy2311 - really well done on getting through that phase of your treatment

 

[amy2311]

"I've heard that GA requires the patient to take an X-ray as part of the preparation,"

I didn't have to have an X-ray, not everyone does, I had a blood pressure check, height, weight and a urine test, I also had an ECG but not everyone has x-rays or ecg's

 

[gapmouthgirl]

prior to my iv sedation, i was required to get a 'mini physical' by my doctor to ensure things like blood pressure, general health, current medications, allergies, height, weight, etc were recorded. almost on par with what GA (going under) requires. at the dentist, they had me on a heart rate monitor, oxygen monitor, and the blood pressure cuff was on and inflated the whole time on my arm. all of this was hooked up and running before the sedation started. i believe this monitoring is standard for iv sedation, and i was very re-assured to know that my dentist takes it all very seriously.

 

[dentalwise]

I'm not worried about the precautionary tests in general, it's the X-ray specifically that bothers me because of its cancer causing effect. But, it sounds like there is very little difference between the preparation for IV sedation and that for GA. As such, I could go either way.



amy2311,

How badly impacted were your wisdom teeth? I'd be interested to read about your progress in recovery.

 

[gapmouthgirl]

I'm not worried about the precautionary tests in general, it's the X-ray specifically that bothers me because of its cancer causing effect. But, it sounds like there is very little difference between the preparation for IV sedation and that for GA. As such, I could go either way.

the amount of radiation you are exposed to with an x ray is not something i'd be concerned about. there is so much daily exposure to radiation, in our environment, our food, etc.

i've had a number of dental xrays over the course of my life, and a couple on my elbow as a child, and i'm healthy as can be. only my most recent panoramic dental xray was digital and not 'tradtional'. my daughter has had dental xrays as well as abdominal xray and i am very happy that the xray at that time was available to help in a diagnosis and treatment of something that would have otherwise been very serious.

i look at it this way - the xray can tell you if something is wrong. i'd rather know what's wrong, be able to fix it, and be exposed to that tiny bit of radiation in the process, rather than not know. xray can also be an assurance that it is ok to go ahead with other procedures, like dental work under GA.

 

[dentalwise]

You’re right. I have no problem with the use of X-rays when it’s medically necessary, and I myself have just had an OPG X-ray done to diagnose my wisdom teeth. The operative word here is necessary. If I can avoid having to take an X-ray as part of the preparation for anaesthesia, I’m going to do just that. It’s also worth noting that although the amount of radiation received from any single X-ray procedure is small, the effect of the radiation is cumulative. So, I think it’s best to avoid it if it’s not necessary.

 

[amy2311]

amy2311,

How badly impacted were your wisdom teeth? I'd be interested to read about your progress in recovery.

The right hand two were fine they came through normally, the bottom left one came in at an angle to the front of my mouth and the top left was growing into my cheek so the left two were removed. I am still a little bit sore, but I've been back at Uni since Sunday with no real issues, I am taking half as many pain killers than I did on Sunday, so hoping to stop them altogether by Friday. I was lucky and didn't have hardly any swelling, the oral surgeon said he didn't want to open my jaw too much due to my TMJ disorder and as a result my mouth opening wasn't too badly affected, it is a little less mobile but it hasn't even been a week yet. The most annoying thing is because I don't have stitches I keep getting food caught in the sockets and it isn't nice, chewing on the right hand side of my mouth upsets my left TMJ too