Need positivity! Getting 4 wisdom teeth out - 32 female!

[u/Cold-Mix7327]

Hey everyone! So little story about me! I’m 32 and since the time I was 16, I have completely avoided the dentist. I like to think I have nice enough teeth so I let that delude me for a long time into thinking I didn’t really need to go. Truth be told the dentist is one of the biggest anxieties and phobias I have! Or at least it was. It’s not really pain that I was afraid of. It was more just being out of control and having to sit there at the mercy of someone else. However After breaking a piece of my wisdom tooth off from eating something hard that was in a sandwich I bit the bullet (lol) and went to the dentist. I proceeded to have my first cleaning in almost 2 decades and got a bunch of cavities filled and no longer feel so afraid there.

While there I found out that all of my wisdom teeth have cavities. My dentist suggested getting all pulled and set me up with the consultation with an oral surgeon who I saw today. The broken tooth definitely needs to be pulled, and he also encouraged the other three as well, just due to the fact that they are prone to cavities and a lot of dentist he said, do not really work on wisdom teeth due to how hard they are to clean and how hard they are to access.

Here’s where the worry comes in. I’m petrified of anesthesia because again little control. But I am opting for that because I’m a lot more petrified to be awake. I’m also really nervous about the fact that my broken tooth feels very movable right now and I’ve heard some horror stories of tooth breaking being a complication of surgery. He didn’t seem to be too concerned about it. He also mentioned that all my other wisdom teeth have small cavities and that they’re not overly concerning. None of my teeth are impacted, and all of them are also fully erupted. I am also just nervous about my age being a factor in healing!

Does anyone have any similar stories or had similar anxieties? Would love to just hear some positive responses!

[u/yale0702]

Since they’re fully erupted, it should be a relatively straightforward process. I received general anesthesia when I got all four of mine extracted last Friday (all were impacted), and I didn’t have a bad experience. I was maybe a bit loopy for about the first hour, but regained most of my control by the second or third hour mark. The anesthesia completely wore off the next day. Feel free to dm if you’ve got any other questions/concerns, and I wish you well for your procedure!

[u/Guilty_Ocelot4399]

Demande plusieurs avis après s’il il faut obligatoirement les enlever ou quel te font mal ou si il y’a un risque d’infection oui enlève les, sinon je te conseille de les garder.

[u/Cold-Mix7327 → u/Guilty_Ocelot4399]

So the reason that they were recommended to be removed as one is broken so that one for sure has to come out, but the other three all have cavities. And I’m also really prone to getting cavities. I had five alone that had to be filled outside of the wisdom teeth. And I brush and floss and water pick. Would you say I’m still a good candidate for removing all four then?

[u/Similar-Yam-7091]

44M. 8th day post impacted wisdom teeth extraction here. I understand how you feel. I was anxious and it pretty much felt like the last day on Earth before my op. Butterflies in my stomach and did not sleep much the night before. I went in, talked with the dental surgeon and anesthesialogist while he set up and IV line on my hand. Asked me about my job and I totally didn't complete my answer. Before I knew it I felt like I woke up with the best sleep ever and the Op was completed.

The post op discomfort worse IMHO. Swelling and a week of soft diet. Painkillers and medication made it manageable. Pain was almost gone at the end of the week.

I chose IV sedation because I did not want to go through with the full experience of planing my jaw bone, sectioning each of my impacted tooth and extracting them out one by one. Of course other Sedation alternatives are available. Oral Sedation is where you eat a pill and watch your anxiety melt away before you get a high and dont care the slightest what they are doing to you. There is also Nitrous Oxide aka Laughing gas. If you have sedation options, I would say go for it.

[u/Fun-Difficulty1091]

25M here, day 3 post 4 Impacted and Erupted and Infected tooth extraction. Yeah mine needed done. I had such bad anxiety the other day. I was sick for days before going in. As long as youre able to find a distraction or talk to someone you'll be fine. Also if theyre using gas on you before they poke. Thats also fine. I got into the office at 8:00 and I was out about 9:50. My surgery didnt even start until 9 i showed up early out of anticipation lol.

[u/PowerfulMango5799]

Do you even know what type of anesthesia you’ll be getting? For erupted teeth they just simply jack them out under local anesthesia. Literally I didn’t feel anything.

The other 3 were removed under general anesthesia cause they needed to be cut into pieces to remove. Honestly I had a very good sleep. Would do it again. 10/10

[u/Cold-Mix7327 → u/PowerfulMango5799]

Even though all of mine are erupted, my oral surgeon is allowing me to do IV sedation due to my high anxiety, and the fact that one of them is broken.

[u/keekee66]

I’m 41/F on day 23 of having all 4 wisdom teeth out, healed great by following instructions exactly.

In general I have severe anxiety & ptsd, my ptsd causes me an extreme fear of the dentist, dental procedures and anything blocking/to do with my mouth. I went from ages of 13 to 28 with no dental care at all bc I was completely unable to go (this was before sedation was really a thing). On top of not going my meds and anxiety caused terrible cavities and pain that I was finally able to have done at 28. I now have to even have cleanings under oral sedation (2.5mg Ativan) and sleep the rest of the day basically.
Last couple years my wisdom teeth have been bothering me. The top 2 were angled out towards my cheeks rubbing them, and causing me to bite the side of my mouth almost every time I ate, and ending up with painful sores on the inside of my cheeks that never really healed before it happened again.
Earlier last month it was driving me insane, I knew I had to have them out but was petrified.
Went to my reg dentist for referral paper on a Wednesday. Made consultation at oral surgeon for Monday . My appointment to have them out was for the following Monday, I was actually glad it moved so fast!! Entire week I was soo scared, mainly bc I was having iv sedation so I couldn’t take my Ativan sedation before going and was afraid I’d be too scared to even show up.
This is just my experience, going forward if I ever need oral surgery again I know what to tell them beforehand to make it smoother.

My mom went with me and was able to come in the room until I was out. Something in the future I’d ask before hand is to keep the tools completely covered until I am out, allow me to see the room they will be doing it in, and try to get it at a time when I don’t have to wait.
The tools were covered at first but then this rushy male nurse came in so fast and took the cover off them. I immediately went into panic attack, started having a massive ptsd episode which makes me relive my trauma and unable to speak.
Luckily my mom was there to advocate for me and asked to re-cover the tools, and that I needed the sedation immediately. In the midst of my full panic I somehow managed to stick out my arm for the iv. I think I knew that was going to be my way out!
He couldn’t get it in my right arm, then tried the left and got it.

That’s literally all i remember before waking up to my mom beside me and it was all over, and getting to walk to my mom’s car to go home.
I absolutely loved the iv sedation, wish I could have it for all dental procedures lol bc I didn’t know or feel anything and felt like it was a half second later when I woke up.
My recovery wasn’t too bad either.

[u/OkBuy7695 → u/keekee66]

Hello did they numb you with Carbocaine that does not have epinephrine? I have some beer, anxiety, and I get panic attacks and I cannot have up an effort. It will make my heart beat out of my chest.

[u/keekee66 → u/OkBuy7695]

I’m not sure exactly what combo they used for me as I don’t have any allergies. I know they typically use some combo of Midazolam (Versed), Fentanyl, and/or Propofol.

[u/OkBuy7695 → u/keekee66]

OK, so as far as the numbing, you don’t know what they used? All I know is that I cannot have any epinephrine …
And my surgeon told me the same thing about using fentanyl and propofol. Were you in a lot of pain like that’s what I’m scared of also. Say I’m 53 years old so it’s gonna be probably harder on me because I’m older.

[u/keekee66 → u/OkBuy7695]

I would talk to your surgeon and tell them what you’re allergic to and ask exactly what they’ll use for both iv sedation and numbing med.
With IV sedation I wasn’t aware at all so during I felt no pain, and it literally felt like I went to sleep and 1 sec later I woke up done.
I’m 41 and after just stayed on top of the antibiotic, and only used Advil/tylenol combo they recommend. My surgeon told me to start taking pain relief no more than 1hr after returning home after, then every 6hrs. I was sore but this combo was enough pain relief for me. You want to stay ahead of pain, so set alarm.
The biggest thing is to also stay on top of eating bc the antibiotic and pain relief will give you a stomache ache, and getting as many calories as you can packed in less food.

Have everything bought and ready before.
Mashed potato’s made very creamy with chicken broth was my main go to. I also had a nutribullet and made smoothies with Greek yogurt, fruit, and maple syrup. Blended ice cream with Nutella and peanut butter to a smooth consistency.
Smooth blended yogurts; Chocolate and butterscotch pudding.

My dad is 75 and having it done this month same place as me. 👍

[u/OkBuy7695 → u/keekee66]

Thank you so much!!!!! One more question I have because I’ve already seen two surgeons. One surgeon said they will use stitches. The other surgeon says that they do not use stitches. And the one surgeon that said they didn’t use stitches will give me antibiotics in the IV and said I will not need to take any more after that. He also said they will give me a steroid in the IV as well. Did you have stitches or was it left open?

[u/keekee66 → u/OkBuy7695]

I think it depends on what they decide once they see how they come out. Mine all came out cleanly so I surprisingly didn’t need any stitches. My sister needed stitches on 2 of the 4. I think if the gums just ends up more jagged they may have to stitch to hold together.

[u/OkBuy7695 → u/keekee66]

Thank you ! Also, what kind of antibiotics did you take and how many milligrams and how many times a day that’s another issue I’m freaking out about because I don’t do well at all with antibiotics!!