SD

Ok guys, I'm 24 and for the last few months my wisdom teeth have been coming through. All the 'round tops' of them are above the rest of the teeth so I think they're practically through now but for the last couple of nights (as was the case when they started coming through) one has been a bit painful as there isn't much room in that corner of the mouth. My dentist (which has changed between my last two visits) has been monitoring it for the last couple of visits and has been indifferent as to whether they (or it?) should come out or not. "It's a bit tight but it should be ok".

So, what with the horror stories I've seen of friends of mine who've had wisdom teeth out should I have it (them?) out now or take this pain as part of the 'settling in' process and stop being such a wuss. If I leave it too long and do need to have it out then I hear that it the extraction process can be worse and worse depending how long I leave it.

I'm also nervous about having them out as I had a tooth out that wasn't fitting in my mouth when I was younger and it was pretty unpleasant. Add in the fact that you'd have wisdom teeth out under anaesthetic and I'm quite nervous of the scale of it all!

To give you an idea of the discomfort I can still eat completely normally - in fact 'using' those teeth doesn't give me any extra pain at all.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Simon.

druddle

My fiance had 2 taken out last year. She went into hospital in the morning, general anaesthetic and then BOSH out they came.

She was home that evening, and although a bit sore, was more or less comfortable. Stitches dissolved and was feelinf much better after 3-4 days.

Mind you, it _can_ be worse.

P.S. Forgot to say that the only thing you need to worry about is the 22 stone nurse that takes a shine to you, and what she is going to do with your old chap when you are under anaesthetic

Dave

[Edited by druddle - 4/22/2002 11:56:30 AM]

SD

Stitches!!!!!

Nobody mentioned stitches to me before now.

[Edited by SD - 4/22/2002 12:10:55 PM]

Rob Walker

I had my jaw dislocated under anasthetic when I got mine out. Looked like a badger for 2 weeks...

SD

Thanks guys. You're doing a good job of convincing me to just bear with it...

[Edited by SD - 4/22/2002 12:21:35 PM]

druddle

SD

Well the teeth are quite large and leave a hold when you take them out, so the void has to be sewn up. Its not that bad.

Dave

JoanUK300

God you men are such wimps..........

O.K, the top ones can be taken out at the dentists, the bottom ones HAVE to be taken out at the hospital but you can opt for different anaethestic, local or general. You don`t have to have stitches, it depends on the dentist who does it,whether he makes a bodge or not, get on the waiting list NOW as there is a 6 month waiting list round here, also at the end of the day if you don`t want them taken out when the appointment arrives just phone up the day before and cancel.

Good Luck
Joan.

fast bloke

could you not just file them down a bit? Get the local vet to do it. Shouldn't cost more than about 20 quid


(Wifey had 2 out under the magic of hypnovale. A bit painful for a couple of days but nothing major. She says it wasn't as bad a childbirth )

SD

Cheers guys. Joan, it's the lower right one. I've private medical insurance so would it be covered in that?

Also gonna speak to my dentist again to see if that was their final answer.

JackClark

I had my bottom wisdom tooth taken out in the chair with just an injection. Was quite a laugh, never knew my jaw could twist like that!! And the crunching sound was amazing.

Tim Bomford

I took the general anaesthetic route and don't regret it. The stories of people who have em out under local put me off. I've got them in a jar next to the computer!

Tim

Dirty Wrong'un

If they're through why can't the dentist pull them out?? Mine were only partially through (top and botom)and it wasn't a major problem. You don't want a general, you can't drive home afterwards!!

SD

Jack - This is my most prominant memory of when I had a tooth out as a youngster! No no no no NO! General for me I thinks, and wake me up in about 2 weeks time...

Rebecca

Another little helpful tip ....

if you're going to have them out, don't do two and leave the other two for a later date. Have them all out at the same time. I'm told that if you have two them out, you'll never go back to have the other two out

I had all mine taken out under general .... no stitches involved, sore for a couple of days ... fine ever since.

Jolly Green Monster 2

I had one bottom one taken out under local at my dentists...
general is hospital only now..

I had 6 or 7 injections of local during as it was still painful (they were added without me asking I think she saw my expression etc) had to have some of the gum cut and then some bone drilled out to get the tooth out.. it was growing at about 75degrees and eatting into the tooth in front of it.

Took a good hour and a half if I recall. Also they had to cut the cheek skin away from the gum.. you have some bits that attach them etc... lots of pulling and pushing.. including foot on the chair stuff etc...

When the local wore off, boy did it hurt.. I hate popping pills but there was no way I could not take anything for the following week for the pain.. the hole went dry.. which apparently happens on occassions when you have a lot of local.. so rather than sealing naturally at the top, it healed from the bottom of the whole upwards.. which takes a lot longer (two weeks) and the bone was exposed which is painful to air changes etc...

So I wouldn't have them out unless the dentist says you have to!

Also if you go under for it, out your pants on the wrong way around when you go in... if when you come out they are around the correct way, be worried! disclaimer : JOKE!!!

JGM

Timmy Tato

My girlfriend had hers taken out... here's her 2p

"I had all 4 taken out as they were what the dentist called Impacted which meant that they were growing forwards instead of upwards - very painful b4 the op. Had private cover so wenet to swish hospital (very much like a hotel - these things matter to girls!!!) and had a general. All 4 came out fine - worst / scariest bit was coming around after the op as I've never had one b4 but I survived and lived to tell the tale. No problems since. (You get to eat as much sloppy food like scrambled egg (my fave) and rice pudding etc which is cool too) but the nurses are insistent that you brush thoroughly to keep your mouth clean and that was the most painful bit of the whole lot."

Look at my smile now

Sue

PS Only downside was that I developed Hamster Cheeks and food would find its way into the "gaps" but this is all fine now!

dharbige

Had mine done in the chair with a local anaesthetic - did one side one visit (top and bottom), and the other side the next visit.
Had to have a single stitch in each.

No problems. A little uncomfortable as you can feel a crunch, but it wasn't painful at all. You just have to set your mind, and force yourself to ignore the discomfort.

SD

Thanks guys. There seems to be a broad range of experiences to the whole thing here. I'm determined to let the professional (my dentist) have one last look before I make my mind up though.

Also got a physiotherapist mate around for the evening just now and he was telling me about the general anaesthetic. I must be really naieve but it's not just like you going to sleep you know - It's actually like 'shutting off' certain parts of your brain, and in some rare circumstances can kill you!

Apparently (excuse the grandmother and eggs situation here - I genuinely didn't know this stuff before) during an operation the anaesthatists job isn't just to make sure that you stay 'under' but also to keep you alive. Me scared.

I really really really really hope it stops hurting overnight...

SD

Going to the dentist on Thursday! Check back on Thursday for the latest thrilling installment!

Check back on friday to fill in my book of rememberence

Funeral will be on saturday at this rate.

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

With any luck its just a few growing pains you are experiencing. Wait and see if they get better. Mine do this from time to time (also about the same age.) They are fairly crowded but every time I think "Right, that's it, they need to come out" - they semm to settle down again. I sometimes wonder if they are slowly barging the other teeth out of the way.

SD

This is exactly what I'm thinking! To be honest though I wonder how many more nights I can take without sleep... Besides the 'barging the other teeth out of the way' thing can't be good can it??

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

Oh - sleepless nights! Mine are never that bad just a background aching every few months. Time for the Doctor to dust down his pliers

TonyG

I had the impacted wisdom teeth as well, but my dentist opted to take out the four molars in front of the wisdom teeth as that way 'it will be a straightforward extraction, not a surgical procedure'. Straightforward? Hah! At one point he had his knee on my chest (yes honestly!) in his attempt to pull the teeth out.
On the plus side, once it was all over I got to keep the extracted teeth (in a plastic bottle), and I've never had any problems with my wisdom teeth over the last 20-odd years.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

i had to go into hospital for mine taken out 15 months waiting or private for £1200!! in the end i was in agony as they forced the other teeth over . 3 days in hospital ist to be starved of food 2nd for the op injection at 7am to relax you 11am they take you to theaterone final injection and count to 10 1 you are out next thing i knew was waking up in recovery room and was sick over the nurse !! for two hours nnon stop hell i thought i was going to die taken back to the ward for the rest of the day very sleepy all you want to to is drink water i coulding even walk and was pushed to toilet in wheelchair and i coulding even manage that !! that was so degrading next day was better so was discharged home 2 hours later the swelling started and i had "hampster cheeks" all i had for 6 days was warm soup and rice pudding and water non stop i could not shave as it hurt my mouth every day i measured my mouth as i could bite more and 6 days before i could close my mouth it was the worst pain i had ever had and would not wish it on my worst enemy im sorry to scare you with my story but the dentist said the teeth will never stop growing and HAVE TO COME OUT sorry mate like me and many others we were just unlucky to be blessed with extra teeth !!!!good luck

SD

Thanks for that Lord Harling!

Timmy Tato

SD - did you survive then or should we start a thread for your book of condolence?

Mufasa

My Dad's old dentist only had one leg, when he had to get a bit more leverage on his victims he used put one hand on their forehead then whip off his wooden leg and place the end of his stump in the middle of the victims chest

SD

Timmy and others. It was the lower ones apparently that are giving me grief so I've been refered to the hospital to have them looked at and taken out. To be honest I'd rather just have them out than continue on like this though!

Apparently it'll be 6 weeks to see a consultant and another month after that before they come out! Hope it doesn't get any worse.

I'm giving PPP (my co's health insurance policy) a ring later to see if their removal is covered by them. If it is then hopefully it'll bring it forward a few weeks...

Book of rememberence looks like it's on hold for a few weeks then.

Cheers to all those who shared their stories on this thread.

Simon

PS, anyone got a cordless drill in case I have to take matters into my own hands?