Wizzie removal success stories Mega Thread

[Breathe_Deep23]

Hi! I posted a thread on here a few days ago in all-out panic mode about this procedure coming up. I'm a long-time dental phobic, as well as someone who fears and dislikes the idea of any kind of sedation medication. I don't like the vulnerability and suggestibility it opens you up to, I've just never liked the idea for the most part. Suffice it to say, I was dreading this procedure with everything in me.

I went in today (not sleeping barely at all last night, or really much this week). My appointment was at 7:45 in the morning (I deliberately scheduled it early so I wouldn't have more time in the day to work myself up into a frenzy about it). So here's how it went:

I went in, they almost immediately called my name. I went back, they sat me down in the chair, confirmed my patient information, and started hooking me up to monitors. They then offered me gas to help me not be so afraid, and I accepted. This worked nicely -- so nicely, in fact, I actually had to ask them to dial it back because they were giving me too much. They did this immediately. The nurses chatted with each other and me as they prepped my IV (no medicine yet, just getting it in the vein without any discomfort at all) and let me sit there with the gas and relax.

The doctor then came in, and he said that he would do his very best to do what I asked and give me the lightest possible sedation (as light as the procedure allowed -- I had one partially impacted lower tooth and one fully impacted lower tooth), and he promised to do what I had requested and reverse the sedation at the end of the procedure (more on this later). I asked him if he thought the upper teeth would cause fewer problems than the lower, since they were fully erupted. He said he didn't anticipate any problems anywhere, which was very comforting. He then said he was about to give the medication, and that it works very quickly.

He was correct. I had no sense of it coming up my arm, no "here it comes" moment, no dizziness or vertigo or nausea. His saying that it acts quickly is the last thing I remember. Then I was being woken up, my head already in one of those ice pack headbands they offer. I was allowed to get my bearings for a second (which was all I needed), and was then helped to my mom's car.

The drive home was about 35 minutes. I had a little bit of double vision on the ride (not severe or really uncomfortable), but it was totally gone and I was totally awake by the time we got home. When I say totally awake, I mean I didn't need so much as a power nap. They told me that the whole procedure, from sedation to reversal, lasted only about 15 minutes. I wasn't "asleep" long enough for the sedative to linger in my system, and with the reversal agent, it sure didn't. I had NO bad side effects. No nausea or dizziness or anything. I felt like myself completely, a tad numb (this wore off really quickly, by mid/late morning). This truly could not have gone any better. In and out in under an hour, only under medication for 15 minutes, and headed home.

I can only hope that how well this procedure went is an omen of the recovery. I've had minimal discomfort so far (*knock on wood*), just some soreness and tightness, easily managed by the Ibuprofen. No narcotic needed by a long stretch so far (again, *knock wood*). This is absolutely the ideal way I was hoping it would go. I had worked myself up into such a frenzy with all the stupid "after wisdom teeth" YouTube videos and horror stories online... it was nothing like that in any way. I remember leaving the chair. I was cognizant again right away. I even gave my mom directions back onto the interstate, lol.

I know from this experience that nothing will make you feel entirely better about it except getting it behind you and having a decent experience (the amount of Googling I did about specific drugs and interactions and length of time to wear off, you wouldn't believe it), but I do hope this provides some degree of comfort to those nervous about this procedure. It is so run-of-the-mill now, they really have refined it. It takes little time, you're under sedation (if you so choose) for a very brief period, and I really would encourage asking your doctors about reversal agents. Doctors are required to keep them on hand should the sedation medicines cause problems for the patients, and you can request they be used in your procedure.

When you see a dentist/surgeon about this procedure, please:

• Ask as many questions as you need to. They expect you to be nervous, and if they are not sympathetic enough for your liking, you are in no way obligated to go to them.
• If you are worried about sedation, ask about the types, levels, and especially reversal of them. Seriously, ask. It's worth it. IV sedation (versed and fentanyl) and reversal are what I had, and it was perfect.
• Ask about an anti-nausea medication either in your IV (should you have one) or as a prescription medication for after your procedure. I've not needed any, but there's a comfort factor in knowing it's there, and most are covered by insurance.

This was my experience, and while I am glad it is behind me and not something I have to think about anymore, I hope this provides a degree of knowledge and help to those who still need it (or another dental/oral surgery procedure) done. It truly is a breeze when you're in the hands of a staff you trust and who have listened to your concerns and wishes.

Remember that horror stories and (often, I think, exaggerated for comedic effect) YouTube videos get so much air time because of the shock factor -- they are not the norm by any stretch. The stress is by far worse than the experience, I promise. Good luck to all of you!

 

[mmgolden]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you an update. I had my follow up with the oral surgeon this past Thursday (exactly two weeks after the surgery) and he said everything looks good. A week after the surgery I still had a tiny bit of bleeding in one socket after I ate something. But after about 9-10 days I didn't have any more bleeding. The granulation tissue (white/gray stuff covering the socket) fell off so now all I have are pink gums. I don't really have holes. They are more like indentations. I have been using the syringe with warm saltwater to irrigate the sockets after I eat but the surgeon said I could probably stop using it after Monday.

I am finally back to eating normal food again! I have been craving hot wings and I was able to eat them last night. I still have a little bit of soreness in my muscles but hopefully that will go away. The numbness in my chin has been getting better but it's still there. The surgeon suggested that I have my husband draw letters on my chin with a Q-tip to see if I can guess the letters. He says I need to help "wake up" the nerve by stimulating it. So far I have no problem guessing the letters so it's not too bad.

 

[Cul]

Let me preface this by saying I had the most complicated recovery of anyone I've ever heard of and it was still so easy.

I was scared out of my mind before my surgery. I cried in the dentists office when she told me I'd have to get them all out. I had panic attacks nearly every night the entire week leading up to it.

It was literally the easiest thing. I had both laughing gas and IV sedation because of my anxiety. They let me listen to music the whole time and I woke up feeling perfectly fine. For the rest of the day I watched movies and ate jello it was kind of nice. I did have terrible swelling peaking several days later despite my constant icing. The pain was uncomfortable but manageable, I didn't even take the pain meds I'd been prescribed, just tylonal. I was finally starting to feel a bit better a week later when I went in to my post-op and was told I had dry socket...

I had to flush my socket every time I ate for two months...

It wasn't that bad honestly, just annoying. Then, two weeks later I had to go back in because I had a shard of my jawbone sticking out of my gums and they pulled it out for me, easy peasy.

About two weeks after that I developed an abscess which stuck around for like three weeks or so before draining on its own. Finally, about a week or two after THAT I was finally healed enough that I didn't have to keep flushing my dry socket or anything else to do with my surgery. I had so many complications and yet I would still do it again, it really wasn't that bad at all.

Keep in mind though, I have a disorder that put me at a much greater risk of complications, the odds of you having all the problems I did are next to nothing.

It will be fine, I promise.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

I sm glad I did this too. It was painless. When I woke up it was over and there was no pain. Definitely the way to go

 

[VictoriaFearless]

This morning I went under to get my wisdom teeth out. They were not really bothering me at the time but we got them out as a preventative measure at the age 27.
I have been crying about this for the past week, researching galore and not sleeping. To help with my anxiety I wrote a list on a pad of paper all my questions/fears to ask the doctor. This helped a lot! I was still crying as the began to sedate me but the nurses/oral surgeon were super nice! One of my biggest fears was not waking up after or being really loopy. Well, I DON’T WANT THIS TO SCARE ANYONE, but I woke up a few times during the surgery but it felt as I had a root canal/and it didn’t hurt just a lot of pressure and sounds. I was sure I was awake for the full thing but the surgeon said I was only awake for a small part but I was STILL OUT OF IT AND COULDN'T CARE LESS/HAD NO FEAR (I was awake for two minutes total out of the 45 minutes...I guess I woke up in one minute intervals for each tooth). But it was NOT SCARY! I was humming a song when I was awake. After it was all done, I was not loopy at all and coherent as could be. Make sure you go to a place where they watch you like a hawk after! They said they NEVER LET ANYONE LEAVE LOOPY! So all those videos shouldn’t be happening! I don’t think I got the laughing gas and am glad I didn’t. I’m now 6 hours later and have used a sports bra to keep frozen peas to my face since I got home (there is a protective covering.) I’ve only had to use the extra strength IBprofin and of course the antibiotic and not have had to get to the strong stuff yet. My jaw is stiff and swollen but so far I don’t feel nauseas more so hungry and a little weak (I’m a huge runner so I don’t feel as I could go run). But I’ve been going up and down stairs at my parents house, making my own smoothies, and I’m trying to drink as much water as I can.
Another fear of mine is dry socket. The nurse said that in the year she has been there she has only seen one-two cases of it. And my oral surgeon said it’s very rare. So fingers crossed. But I’ve come to peace knowing that if I do, I do and they can fix it, and it’s not pernmant which is ever worse! I have my follow up next Friday. I also make sure they had an oral doctor on call at the center I went to as it’s going to be New Years, so make sure to get that information.
Best of luck to everyone but please don’t fear even if you do wake up during, if your with an amazing doctor, he’ll know what to do, I remember him reaching over and putting more in. I think he started off slow amount as I didn’t want that after affect. Do your resesrch and make sure you get the best oral surgeon in your area.

 

[Tryingtoovercome]

I just wanted to share my success story in hopes to inspire others because a year ago, I couldn't even schedule a dentist appointment without crying and sweating and here I am a year later all 4 wisdom teeth gone, two root canals, xrays, fillings, impressions, everything that I was deathly afraid of.

It started because a cavity on a back molar got abscessed. I have had many abscesses before and let them all go because there was no way I was getting into a dentist chair. This time was different though. I couldn't eat or even talk because every time even slight pressure hit my tooth it would send me through the roof! it was the most excruciating pain ever. I realized that night that I had to get into the emergency dentist in the morning to get it pulled.

The dentist suggest I get a root canal because its a savable tooth and it would be cheaper in the long run versus getting a bridge. He was very patient, gentle, and not pushy at all. I asked him if at any point I wanted to stop the root canal treatment and just have the tooth pulled could I do that? He said yes so I felt comfortable going through with the root canal treatment (and I'm sooo glad I did).

After that positive experience, I was able to go back to him for another root canal and a filling. After many appointments of working my confidence up with this dentist, I finally decided to get my wisdom teeth pulled for 2018 because I deserve it! two of my wisdom teeth were infected, rotted, and smelled bad. To me, this was the worst of the worst! It was the thing I feared the absolute most especially since one wisdom tooth was on it's side.

I thought about I.V sedation but knew I would feel much better and less anxious if I were awake (a fear of loss of control). In order to get my wisdom teeth pulled awake, I would need to do them 2 at a time (same side) so that I didn't have both sides of my mouth numb at the same time (that would freak me out).
To wrap this up, I got all 4 wisdom teeth out now and I feel so free. I deserve to have a healthy mouth. I have no more infected teeth in my mouth, no more tooth pain, no more nasty taste, no more bad breath, no more nightmares, no more horrible thoughts. It's amazing how something as small as a tooth can have a huge impact on your day to day life.

One thing I learned through this whole experience is that our thoughts and anxieties are one million times worse than the actual procedure. I've watched thousands of videos, spent many nights awake with thoughts running through my head, worried about all of the "what if's" and none of my worst fears or what if's ever came true. Every time I would work myself up for a big fat nothing!! The teeth were out in 2 minutes and I have spent years and years letting them control my life!! It wasn't worth it and I really wish I could get those years back.

I type all of this to say if i can do it,so can you and most importantly, you DESERVE IT!!! It all starts with a compassionate, gentle, patient dentist. Once you find that, the rest is a breeze. Please do not let your teeth control your life any longer!

 

[JAB]

Re: All 4 Wisdom teeth out no sedation, because I deserve it and so do you!!

Wow. You are better than I am. I still get myself all worked up about even a simple filling. After all these years of going to the dentist and seeing several therapists one would think it might get easier for me. Not a chance. I am so glad you have had a positive experience. I certainly agree our minds are the worst part of these appointments. I wish I could find a way to turn my brain off about 2 weeks prior to any appts and perhaps a few days after them. Perhaps we need an "off" switch on our brains.

 

[Tryingtoovercome]

Re: All 4 Wisdom teeth out no sedation, because I deserve it and so do you!!

Wow. You are better than I am. I still get myself all worked up about even a simple filling. After all these years of going to the dentist and seeing several therapists one would think it might get easier for me. Not a chance. I am so glad you have had a positive experience. I certainly agree our minds are the worst part of these appointments. I wish I could find a way to turn my brain off about 2 weeks prior to any appts and perhaps a few days after them. Perhaps we need an "off" switch on our brains.

don't get me wrong, I still get a little anxious before each appointment but it gets easier and easier. You can do this! Once you find a compassionate, gentle, patient dentist the rest will follow. It's really all in the dentist. The right dentist will make you feel in control and put your mind at ease. baby steps! you got this

 

[brittanymaria423]

Hey everyone!

Three weeks ago, I finally faced my extreme fear of getting my two lower wisdom teeth removed, which I had been putting off for years. But the infections started happening more often and getting worse, so I knew I had to do it. I just wanted to share my experience with you and hopefully it helps to reassure those of you who have similar fears as I did

Prior to my appointment, I was sooo nervous and anxious. I originally had an appointment booked with my regular dentist to have them removed with oral sedation. I had had a consultation with him and asked a lot of questions about the possible complications, effects of the medications, healing process, etc. to help ease my worries. I was so scared that I lost sleep in the days leading up to the appointment and had multiple panic attacks on the morning of the appointment. I went to my dentist on that day and he gave me a crushed up pill in some water and then told me to rest in the chair and go to sleep. I waited and waited, but it didn't feel like the meds were having any effect on me. He came to check on me multiple times but I didn't feel sleepy and was completely alert and aware. So after an hour, he decided to call it off and cancel and said that the meds probably didn't have the desired effect because I was overly anxious. He referred me to an oral surgeon and I had a consultation on the same day. Of course, the sedation meds finally took effect AFTER I left the office, and I remember nothing of the consultation with the surgeon or most of the afternoon. I booked the appointment to get my teeth removed with IV sedation instead, two days later.

I stressed and stressed and was worried about every possible worst case scenario and every complication of things that could go wrong. Nerve damage, pain, swelling, poor healing, infection, etc.; I was terrified of all of it even though the surgeon reassured me that my extractions were simple and straightforward and there was a minuscule chance of complications.

My appointment was early in the morning at 6 AM and my mom and I went in to the office. We were the first ones there. The nurse called me in and I started crying a little, but she reassured me and said that I was just going to have a great sleep and then go home. I went to the operating room which looked more like a hospital than a dentist office. I laid on the operating bed and the nurse put a blood pressure cuff on my arm and a little clamp on my finger to measure oxygen levels in the blood. The anesthesiologist made me squeeze a ball a few times so he could see my veins and he was joking around and made me laugh before he put the needle in my arm. I felt a small pinch and that was it (super easy) and he hooked me up to the IV. The surgeon was there as well and reassured me that everything was going to be okay. The anesthesiologist told me I would start to feel a little bit drunk in a few seconds as he was putting the drugs in me. It happened quickly and I did feel drunk, but in a pleasant way. It didn't bother me at all and after that, I don't remember anything. The surgeon, nurse and staff were so kind, gentle, compassionate and understanding of my fears and anxieties and handled it really well.

I woke up on the operating bed about an hour later, but it felt like seconds, with gauze in my mouth and stitches where the teeth were. I was drowsy but wasn't in any pain. My mouth, lips and chin were completely numb and felt huge. It was an uncomfortable feeling. After I woke up, the nurse asked me to sit in a comfortable chair in the recovery area and she helped me walk the short distance there. She covered me with a warm soft blanket and took the IV out. I sat there for a little while, just staring off into space and feeling pretty out of it. Then my mom came in and sat next to me for a little longer. The nurse changed the gauze in my mouth and the surgeon came to check on me and said everything went well. He told my mom and I the post-operative instructions and gave me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory med, antibiotic and pain meds. We picked up the meds and went home (I threw up in the car from all the meds),where I went to sleep immediately and slept for most of the day. I was aware of everything after waking up from the sedation and didn't do or say anything stupid (like some of those videos you see online),thank goodness! The numbing slowly started to wear off and after six hours, I had all feeling back in my mouth, lips and chin. Sleeping helped me to forget about the feeling of being numb, as I found that really uncomfortable and the most annoying part after the surgery.

To be honest, the surgery itself was the easiest part. The drugs were awesome and I am so thankful that I have zero memory of the surgery. The recovery was more challenging and uncomfortable, but it was worth it in the end to have the teeth removed and go through a week of pain so that I wouldn't have any more pain or infections afterwards.

I changed the gauze a few times over the course of the first day and the bleeding stopped completely by the evening. I wasn't in any pain for the first three days after the surgery (just soreness) and my face didn't get swollen at all, although my gums around the holes were swollen and uncomfortable feeling. I took the medications religiously until they were finished and kept taking the strong pain meds for the first week. On the first day, I only drank smoothies and juice. I felt very weak for the first few days and was nauseous and dizzy when I stood up. I was super tired all the time as well and napped every day for the first week.

I was able to brush my teeth on the second day and started rinsing my mouth with salt water. After the fifth day, I started using the syringe they gave me to clean out food that got stuck in the holes. For the first week, I stuck to a liquids and soft food diet only which included smoothies, applesauce, pureed soups, juices, ice cream, pudding, mashed potatoes and baby food. On the second day, I had a dull ache and my jaw was stiff (that went away after a week, but I could still open it enough to eat). I could feel the stitches in my mouth, like there were always strings there, which was weird (they dissolved completely in about a week). I had two ice packs on either side of my face with a tensure bandage wrapped around and tied to keep them in place for the first three days (replacing the ice packs with new ones once they got warm).

I just felt sore and achy for the first three days, but no real pain. On the fourth day, the pain came and it was pretty much constant, even while taking the pain meds. It was a throbbing pain in the holes that lasted from the fourth until the seventh day. I went to see my surgeon on the fifth day to make sure nothing was wrong, but he said it was healing well and put some clove oil tasting medicated stuff in the holes, which was soothing and helped somewhat. I had a follow-up appointment a few days later and he rinsed everything and said it looked good with no infection.

I started eating solid on the seventh day after surgery, but started with softer solids, like pasta meals and then progressed to crunchier foods over the course of the next two weeks, as I felt comfortable. I still had some lingering soreness and gum swelling into the second week, but it was getting better. By the third week, I had zero pain, soreness or swelling and everything felt back to normal.

After the whole ordeal, I am so glad that I worked up the courage to go through with the surgery. My mouth feels amazing and healthy now and I am completely pain-free and don't have to worry about getting another infection. I had so much anxiety and fear before the surgery, but it was so much easier than I was expecting. My biggest fear was fear of the unknown and the "what ifs." I had concocted a number of scary worst case scenarios in my head and none of them materialized. I am so blessed to have had a competent and professional oral surgeon and his staff and I trusted him to take care of me. I had to keep telling myself that these surgeons perform these extractions every day and they know what they are doing.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. I hope this helps someone out there who is in a similar situation that I was in. If you have any questions about my experience, feel free to reply. I would highly recommend IV sedation for wisdom teeth removal - it's not as scary as it sounds or what your mind is making it out to be. You will feel so much better afterwards!

 

[geos]

Congrats and thanks for sharing your story.

 

[brittanymaria423]

Congrats and thanks for sharing your story.

No problem! I am also thankful for all the help and encouragement I got from the people on this forum as well.

 

[southside420]

I found out yesterday that my cracked tooth will likely need to be removed and replaced with an implant. As someone who's never been operated on or put to sleep, I am terrified. I never really have an issue with teeth cleanings and go every 6 months, but the thought of having something pulled is just too much. I plan to be IV sedated as well. Are you aware of what's going on? I just want to be completely out of it and not even be aware of someone yanking at my tooth.

 

[Nathan_Lee]

As some of you frequenting this forum might know, I was having all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted under general anaesthetic yesterday and the lead up to this day could not have been any more anxiety and stress ridden.

I was a zombie. A shell of myself. I was in every facet of my life debilitated because of the stress and worry. I frequented this and every possible forum on the internet typing in "fear of general anaesthetic" and possibly any and every other variation of that sentence. And for some reason...I could read and read people's positive comments/outcomes for hours yet nothing would stick...why is that? Because the anxious mind will trick you into thinking your circumstances are different. Yours are surely worse or will have a worse outcome...wrong.

I was afraid of dying under the anaesthetic, not waking up, reacting...you name it, my anxious mind crawled right up in that thought.

So came the day (yesterday morning)...

I'm not afraid (as a 30 y/o male) to say that I cried from the moment I woke from bed, as they were prepping me for surgery and up until they gave me the midazolam (pre med) which was about 20-30 min before showtime.

As I lay there in my hospital bed with my mother holding my hand and such caring and beautiful nurses literally doing breathing exercises with me, a calm resignation washed over me. A calm that everything would be well and that I was looked after.

As they wheeled me into theater (very quickly might I add - I believe this is a technique employed for highly anxious patients) my anaesthetist was sitting ready to get on with it without delay. I didn't see very much of the OR but the overhead lights and I think I preferred it that way.

I put my hand out and my anaesthetist said "just a small pinch mate"...I hardly felt it. Then he said "a cool sensation will come up your arm and you will get a real good sleep". As he was saying that a lovely nurse asked for me to breath onto a mask giving oxygen.

It was at that exact moment I had this amazing and unexpected calm wash over me. I closed my eyes and thought of my beautiful girlfriend, our kelpie dog and the beautiful sunny beaches we are gifted with in Western Australia.

I took 3, maybe 4 big breaths of the oxygen and it was a blissful calm into complete relaxation and acceptance that everything would be alright.

And then I woke. And I woke peacefully and not even that groggy. I was pleased to wake, but I was not pleased that once again my anxious mind deceived me!

If you're reading this and have an extraction coming up under GA or even twighlight sedation and you are worried virtually to the point of sickness...trust these words from a severely (I mean clinically diagnosed) anxious person...it is NOT the horrible picture you are painting in your mind.

It will be VERY different to what you expect. In a good way.

I feel liberated now. It's like I was carryimg the heaviest sack on my back full of stress and worry of the unknown for weeks and it's now been dropped.

In the lead up to your surgery I highly recommend relaxation meditation, hypnosis and speaking to others about your fears on forums such as this.

Be calm
Nathan

 

[sumravioli]

I'm writing this as I have just taken pain meds. One thing I cannot stress enough: TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDS. It will hurt after the anesthesia wares off, not going to sugarcoat that.

I posted a few days ago how I was absolutely terrified to get this done. I, a 16 year old girl who had never had any sort of surgery and has a phobia of needles and fear of dentists, got it done no problem.

It was weird. Not in a bad way. I was so anxious that they gave me some gas to calm me down a bit before they put in the IV. I almost threw up beforehand and I was hyperventilating so they did that. The nurse was super nice and understanding. She put on the TV for me and gave me a cold compress for my head, even wiped my tears! At that point I told her to go ahead with the IV and it didn't even hurt! I was so shocked, I got it in the hand too!

The surgeon was super kind. Explained everything to me and answered my questions truthfully. He reassured me it would be okay and that I wouldn't even know I was put to sleep... I didn't! He put the shot in the IV and told me I'd feel it in 30 seconds or so and they had me on something to help nausea too (just in case). I seriously don't even remember closing my eyes. I remember feeling light headed and laughing, saying "woah, this is f*cking weird" and they all laughed. Next thing I knew I was awake and babbling like an idiot. I was soooo drugged up, seeing double and everything was hazy and cloudlike. I just wanted to sleep. The nurse helped me into the wheelchair and wheeled me out to the car. I remember vaguely babbling about cars to my dad and repeatedly asking "how long did it take?" only 30 minutes! Needless to say I was worked up over nothing, it was definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. The pain is bad afterwards, but just stick with your prescription! It helps! Best of luck to anyone reading this ??

 

[fearofwisdom]

If you are in any way nervous or anxious about your wisdom teeth extraction, I hope this story will make you feel a little better about the overall experience. I am 22 years old, and I have been told that my wisdom teeth need to come out ever since 2014. I have put it off for 4 years, even though my wisdom teeth have not caused me any issues. My top two wisdom teeth were coming in straight down, and my bottom two wisdom teeth were horizontally impacted.

Long story short, I am deathly afraid of IV anesthesia/being “put to sleep,” so my main goal was to find an oral surgeon that was willing to do the surgery with local anesthesia and laughing gas. I didn’t have much luck, because the main oral surgeon in my hometown always insisted that I be put to sleep, and the office was not really willing to understand my concerns. It seemed like they just wanted the money, but I also understood it would be easier for them if I were heavily sedated.

The most helpful resource behind me deciding to FINALLY get it done was reading success stories and everyone’s personal experiences. I did not know what to expect, as I have not had ANY surgeries or anything in my life. To say I was terrified is an understatement.

I’m going to break my story into sections so that people can read what applies to them!

The consultation: I had several consultations at the office that wanted to put me to sleep (mentioned above). The office was really nice, as it looked like a house on the outside. I walked in and filled out some paperwork, and they took a panoramic x-ray of my teeth. They then took me back to a nice room with a big dentist’s chair and a window with a pond outside. This room didn’t look intimidating at all, it just looked like a regular dentist’s office. The surgeon’s assistant came in and showed me a video that explained the procedure, risks, and frequently asked questions. It’s the stereotypical video that all the oral surgeons must show to patients. I nervously asked her if I could get my wisdom teeth removed without being put to sleep, and she kind of chuckled and told me to wait until the surgeon comes in for questions. After about 5 minutes, the surgeon came in and really didn’t answer any of my questions. He just said “all we’re gonna do is put you to sleep and it will all be done!” I understand that the IV sedation is no big deal, but it was a foreign experience to me and I felt like the doctor wasn’t willing to listen to my concerns.

Surgery day! Friday, June 22, 2018 at 10am

Pre-Surgery: I had watched EVERY video on YouTube, looked at EVERY #wisdomteeth post on Instagram, and looked at EVERY Google search that pertained to my situation. I ultimately decided to go to another oral surgeon that was willing to do the procedure with me awake (with local anesthesia and laughing gas). I scheduled it for 10am on a Friday so that I would have the weekend to recover. I had to drive a couple of hours to get there, but I tried to use the driving as a distraction for my anxiety. We finally got to the office, and we signed in. They then called me back to fill out a HIPAA form and watch the “stereotypical wisdom teeth video.” After I was done, I gave the receptionist the forms and she told me and my husband to go sit out in the waiting room. After sitting for 5 minutes, the surgeon’s assistant called me back and immediately started! I didn’t even have time to worry. She was very nice and asked me if I was cold, and she gave me a blanket. She then put the laughing gas mask on, and quite frankly, I didn’t feel a difference throughout the entire procedure. Once she did that, she got a swab with some red stuff on it. It was a topical numbing cream that she put all in the areas of my mouth that I would be receiving the Novocain shots. It tasted like strawberries! She then left the room for about 10 minutes, and I knew that I was in too deep to give up now. The surgeon came in, and he was very kind and informative. He said that they are going to give me the “numbing medicine” now, and I took a deep breath and did it. Honestly, the WORST part of the procedure was this. He first put about 3 shots up near my top right wisdom tooth. This was not bad, it was just a little pinch. Then, he put some shots on my top left wisdom tooth. Not bad. He put a couple shots up on my palette (above my tongue), and this wasn’t bad either. The pain was the worst on the right bottom wisdom tooth. When I watched videos on YouTube, I listened to a girl explain her experience and I didn’t really understand. She said that she felt like they had “hit a nerve.” But honestly, I feel like that’s the best explanation. The pain was NOT fun, but it was TEMPORARY. If you can get through this, the rest of the procedure is SO easy. My left leg was shaking so bad because I was so nervous. They did the shots on my bottom left wisdom tooth, and the surgeon left the room for about 5 more minutes. He came back in, and it was time!

During surgery: I had the surgeon on my right side and the assistant on the left. They were telling me everything they were doing but sparing the gory details. For example, the surgeon was telling me “okay, the right top one’s out!” My response was “no way,” because I SERIOUSLY did. Not. Feel. A. Thing. He then moved to the bottom right one. My bottom wisdoms were more complicated because they were horizontally impacted, so they had to use a drill. A lot of people are hesitant about going to the dentist because of the noises, but they seriously didn’t bother me. I did not wear headphones. Also, another complaint about wisdom teeth removal while awake is the immense amount of “pressure” that you feel when they are pulling at the teeth. I felt pressure, but not as severe as people explain it on the internet. I understand that everyone’s experiences are different, but hopefully this will clear things up. I literally felt nothing on the top two wisdom teeth, no pressure or anything. The bottom ones – I felt the vibration from the drill but NO pain. I also felt a slight tugging sensation, but NO pain. On a scale of discomfort/pain, I’d give it a 3/10. The bottom right one finally came out after about 3 minutes of tugging/cracking – it SOUNDS scary, but I promise it is NO big deal if you decide to do this surgery awake. They moved to the top left wisdom tooth, and it popped right out with no problems. The bottom left one was JUST like the bottom right, but it took about a minute longer. After it seeming like 5 minutes, the surgery was done and all of my worries were for NOTHING.

Post-surgery: Since I did not receive IV anesthesia, I was almost immediately allowed to leave and drive home. They let me sit for about 5 minutes after it was done so that a clot could form while I bit down on some gauze. You will not feel any pain, just the fact that your bottom lip feels huge. They explained to me everything I needed to do that day, and I paid up front and was on my way! The oral surgeon gave me a prescription for Amoxicillin (an antibiotic) and Hydrocodone (strong pain killer). I went to the Walgreens across the street and let them fill the prescription while I ate a frosty from Wendy’s. Since I had a 2-hour drive home, I changed out my gauze every 20 minutes, and I immediately took my medicine when I got home so that when the numbing wears off, I won’t be in as much pain.

Made it home: I took my medicine and began to ice my face! My face was still numb, and the bottom lip numbness wore off the next morning, so do not be surprised if it isn’t gone in the same day as your surgery. In terms of pain, I would give it a 7/10 simply because it’s a constant “throbbing” sensation, but if you stay on top of your medications it definitely is bearable. In my opinion, the pain was the worst on the night of the surgery because that was when the anesthesia was wearing off.

I am currently on Day 3 (Sunday), and the worst part is not being able to chew on some delicious food and the stinging sensation where my stitches are. I put this surgery off for FOUR years because (1) I had never had surgery before and I was scared to death, AND (2) I had several oral surgeons that just wanted to put me to sleep. The main reasons for staying awake for me were primarily financial reasons and major anxiety about the IV anesthesia as opposed to the actual surgery.

I really hope this story makes you feel better about your wisdom teeth extraction, and my advice that I have to you is to EDUCATE yourself on the procedure by reading other peoples’ experiences so that you have several perceptions on what to expect and find an oral surgeon that is willing to LISTEN to you and your concerns. The oral surgeon’s main goal is to make you feel comfortable. After all, you ARE paying them!

 

[krlovesherkids777]

This is really well wrote and you covered so much! Although I've had all my wisdom teeth out. I would definately know I'd benefit if I was heading to get my wisdom teeth out and surely would recommend to anyone having questions about wisdom teeth removal!!

 

[fearofwisdom]

This is really well wrote and you covered so much! Although I've had all my wisdom teeth out. I would definately know I'd benefit if I was heading to get my wisdom teeth out and surely would recommend to anyone having questions about wisdom teeth removal!!

You are so sweet. I am glad you found it beneficial even though you've been through this before. I was heavily relying on other peoples' stories, so I hope I am able to pay it forward.

 

[Sheldonius23]

Hello!
So I've been going through this forum for a week due to immense fear about getting general anesthesia and getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth out, looking for reassurance 2 of my teeth were impacted and sideways, they have been causing me pain for months and I decided it was time. I can tell you that the fear of it was a million times worse than actually having it done! They decided to give me a little Versed beforehand due to how nervous I was. The nurse was incredible, she saw how worried I was and held my hand the entire time I was going to sleep. I felt the Versed going in, and within about 5 seconds I didn't want to fight it anymore. I felt very relaxed and spacey but in such a good way. A few seconds after that - I woke up. That's how quick it was. So to anyone else afraid of getting GA - don't be. It's so fast, it's so safe, they said all my vitals were just fine and I did great. I am SO glad to finally have these things out, and that I NEVER have to worry about these wretched teeth again!!!!!!!

After reading all your amazing stories about how you conquered your fears, I figured I'd do the same! Thank you all for being my support and reassurance for a week!!

 

[Tyler266226]

I have all 4 wisdom teeth that need to be removed. They are all impacted. Will i be under general anastesia? Please respond. Im so worried.

 

[Tyler266226]

I have all 4 wisdom teeth that need to be removed. They are all impacted. Will i be under general anastesia? Please respond. Im so worried.

Or wilk i be under IV Conceous sedation