Wisdom Teeth Pain

[2008bangkok]

Hi,

I have been to the dentists a few months ago and among other things i will have to have 'surgery' to remove a wisdom tooth or 2, i have been putting it off and off but i am now starting to suffer with severe jaw ache to the point by late afternoon its quite unbearable and also gibves me severe headaches..i was just wondering could this be because of the wisdom teeth or maybe something different..has anybody had there wisdom teeth out and if so did you suffer from pain before..

Thanks

[toptuan]

In my home country, it's just regular procedure to have them out about 20 or 21 years old, pain or no pain. I had no pain prior to extraction. But oh, the pain afterwards!

[2008bangkok]

In my home country, it's just regular procedure to have them out about 20 or 21 years old, pain or no pain. I had no pain prior to extraction. But oh, the pain afterwards!

Really?? Is it not like having a normal tooth out?

[Gumballl]

Same here, but I had mine (all 4) extracted when I was about 26 years old. Of course there is no pain during extraction... I was given a "general" anaesthesia (anesthesia)... in other words, I was asleep during the operation. I felt great until I woke up at home in a groggy state. Started popping pain killers, and then began the regiment of eating ice cream and yogurt. Two weeks without solid food!

Today I wish I could bring myself to bear that sort of torture in an effort to lose a few pounds.

P.S. A little advice... after surgery, don't drink with a straw.

[2008bangkok]

Ha ha sounds like a trip to the vali counter..just out of interest why are they taken out????

[eek]

I couple of year ago (maybe about 3) my wisdom teeth finally started to come through. One of them started to come through at a slight angle and about 2 year ago (whilst in the UK) my dentist was concerned that it may impact on my other teeth and cause complications (including difficult to keep clean). I was also in a lot of pain from one of them. I was sent to a specialist who took an x-ray and told me that these days they prefer not to remove wisdom teeth unless absolutely necessary incase of damage to the nerve. Apparently removal may cause nerve damage and other complications as the surgery is a bit tricky (sorry, i dont recall the details..but found this info through Google: http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html http://ezinearticles.com/index.php?Wisdom-...d&id=982885 http://www.animated-teeth.com/wisdom_teeth...oth_removal.htm Or just Google something like "complications with having wisdom teeth removed).

I was told to keep using bonjela or other numbing gel that is used on babies teeth and to use sensodine toothpaste overnight (preferably in a gumshield) and take paracetamol until the pain subsides. I was advised that the teeth should settle on their own over time and that unless the pain/infections persists or i get constant infections etc, i should not have my wisdom teeth extracted.

Personally I suggest that its best ito make absolutely sure that you need to have them removed. Maybe its a case of putting up with the pain until they settle?

Edited May 15, 2008 by eek

[2008bangkok]

Cheers fo the advice and links eek, to be honest it doesnt sound like a bundle of fun..

Im not actually sure whether it is the wisdon teetch that is doing it i am just linking what the dentist has said about this and my pain, the problem is the only dentist around doesnt speak english so its translationb through the missus so i get to here half of what he says and vice versa, so im just gettin some feedback on whether it is this or not, and by the sounds of im hoping not!!

When you say let them settle eek what does that mean..they have not just come through im 37 but just getting a lot of gip from them(i think)

[cloudhopper]

Hi '08 I'm a retired dental surgeon and I recommend: If wisdom teeth are fully submerged and there are no problems apparent on Xray then leave them be. If one is partially exposed remove it. Get a second opinion to concur that the tooth is in fact the cause of your pain (quite possible if exposed, unlikely if not and Xray looks normal) and discuss the various risks associated with your particular situation. Choke dee

[taxexile]

wisdom teeth should erupt at 18-21y.o.

as they are the last teeth to erupt , there is sometimes not enough room at the back of the jaw for them to erupt into a satisfactory position , and so they will erupt partially , or at an angle.

partially erupted wisdom teeth will have a flap of gum remaining over the back part of the tooth , and painful swellings and infections can develop in that area , antibiotics will get rid of the infection , but not the cause , which is the gum flap and the tooth itself. teeth that have partially erupted at an angle can cause damage (decay) to the tooth in front due to the difficulty of cleaning the area between the two teeth. its often impossible to sort out the decay without removing the wisdom tooth , which by this time is often decayed itself and hence can be very difficult to extract.

if the roots of the tooth are exceptionally long , they can lie in close proximity to the inferior dental nerve which runs in a canal in the bone beneath the teeth , that is the nerve that is numbed when a local anaesthetic is injected at the back of the mouth and causes anaesthesia to half the lower jaw. removal of such a tooth requires the services of a skilled dental surgeon and not the local dentist in the high street clinic.

an x-ray of the wisdom tooth will show the relationship of the roots to the nerve and also the angle at which the tooth is lying and its relation to surounding teeth etc.

never allow an extraction (of any tooth) to go ahead without an x-ray beforehand.

if you are having repeated infections or pain from an unerupted or partially erupted wisdom tooth then the best cure is to have it removed. the amount of discomfort post-extraction will depend on the degree of difficulty of the extraction.

sometimes the tooth can just be levered out without any surgical intervention , sometimes a small flap of gum has to be raised and perhaps if there is some bone blocking the path of eruption , and hence the path of extraction , then that will have to be removed too to allow the tooth to be taken out .

the post extraction pain is due to trauma to the surrounding tissues , and a skilled and experienced operator will be able to minimise this. skilled operators are usually to be found in the dental departments of good hospitals.

there may be a certain amount of pain and sometimes swelling for a few days after a difficult wisdom tooth has been removed , but it can be controlled by taking medium strength painkillers.

really severe pain starting a few days after a wisdom tooth has been removed is usually due to a post extraction infection in the tooth socket , the risk of this occuring can be lessened by regular simple hot salt water mouth washes along with good oral hygiene.

Edited May 15, 2008 by taxexile

[Sheryl]

I suffered serious agony before removal, made worse by it starting up on a holiday weekend causing a wait for the surgery.

If the teeth are impacted, the longer you wait, the more unnecessary pain you are going to go through.

The procedure as all have mentioned, is under anesthesia so no pain.

Afterwards, as I recall there was some pain for the first 2 days but manageable with pain killers and I think I was back at work and on nothing more than tylenol with 48 hours. I don't recall the post-extraction period as anything major, it was the pain before hand that sticks with me.

I'd suggest you not delay.

[donna]

for some people its pretty painless, but for me, and many members here by the looks of it, it was not fun. i had all 4 taken out under a general and when i woke up i was swollen up with jowls like a blood hound. i ended up with clots the size of my fist being spat up, and was on morphine for a week or so - was nice to watch all the pretty colours on the telly whilst eating ice cream.

not fun for me.

but friends of mine have been able to eat a steak the day after.

go figure.

[Tywais]

I had the two lower ones removed in preparation for orthodontia work. It was under a general and don't remember any major discomfort afterwards. They gave me a supply of pain killers which I used for one day. The doc had a sense of humor about him. After I woke up he asked me if I had any chest pains. I said no, why? That was where he put his knee to pull those suckers out.

[eek]

Cheers fo the advice and links eek, to be honest it doesnt sound like a bundle of fun..

Im not actually sure whether it is the wisdon teetch that is doing it i am just linking what the dentist has said about this and my pain, the problem is the only dentist around doesnt speak english so its translationb through the missus so i get to here half of what he says and vice versa, so im just gettin some feedback on whether it is this or not, and by the sounds of im hoping not!!

When you say let them settle eek what does that mean..they have not just come through im 37 but just getting a lot of gip from them(i think)

My own personal experience is that my wisdom teeth didnt start coming through until 3 year ago at age 32. It took a very long time for them to come through and caused me a lot of discomfort. About 2 year ago (after they had nearly all come through) i started getting a lot of pain and problems with them (one in particular) so my regular dentist took an xray and decided to send me to the hospital doctor to have them removed. At the hospital the dentist inspected my teeth and took more xrays and then advised that i shouldnt have them removed yet, and to wait for a while. After a month or so (although its hard to recall), the pain subsided and I havent had problems since.

Of course i cannot give any kind of specialist advice, only going by my own experience. Best of luck

[2008bangkok]

Id like to thank everyone for all there advice so far although im getting worried!!

I think the general opinion is that it going to be a few days of unpleasentness if im lucky or a couple of weeks, i will definately take a xray before hand just to make sure that is the cause..

I might well take advantage of the long holiday to wallow in pain at home i just dont like the idea of no food...or crisps...or beer...

How much should i be paying for a removal in a normal clinic in bangers??

[Cuban]

> Really?? Is it not like having a normal tooth out?

To add to the responses above, I would expect many different tooth situations result in different operation procedures and post-op experiances. I had the part exposed tooth and suffered with impacted food infections for a month or so before getting it sorted out. My regular dentist said he would be able to do the work under local anaesthesic - however we would not be friends afterwards, as the procedure would involve hammering inside my mouth with a chisel and probably kneeling on my chest.

I had all four out in one session under general anaesthesic, it took 90-120 minutes I was told.

Had an aching pain for about two days - but could sleep with ease, thanks to pain killers.

Soft food - soups etc for about 10 days, but I took two weeks off work and fitted new windows in my house duringthe second week.

If you have a history of x-rays can any movement be seen during the past 5 years - if the wisdom teeth are pressing on your molars, any delay in their removal may impact other teeth and cause more problems later.

Another point mentioned by 'eek' above, the risk to nerve damage: In my case the wisdom teeth roots were growing across the nerves serving part of my face, there was risk of such damage during the removal - however the risk of damage by leaving the tooth in place was greater.

Get 'em removed - less to go wrong later.

[Lazy Sod]

I had one of my wisdom teeth taken out at Samitivej Hospital Sukhumvit by their dental surgeon, no problems, I was fine after a couple of hours. A couple of years later the wife was in agony with one of her wisdom teeth, we went to Samitivej and she had it taken out, again no problems. Then a friend here had the same problem, I suggested he go to Samitivej, it was taken out and he was fine the next day.

On the other hand I recall friends in the UK who were in agony with cheeks swollen like a hampster after having wisdom teeth taken out there. The surgeon at Samitivej told me that the standard of dental treatment in the UK is often awful and I'm wondering if this has something to do with slower recovery time.

Someone mentioned earlier that a trained dental surgeon should remove the teeth, not a regular dentist, perhaps that has something to do it.

BTW I mentioned the long recovery time (I'd seen in the UK) to the dental surgeon at Samitivej, and she basically scoffed saying that if they are removed properly then the recovery time is very quick providing of course that there are no serious complications.

[Steve2UK]

ABSOLUTELY agree that the wisdom tooth extraction should be done by a specialist - it's not like the other teeth. In February, I had an upper right WT extracted at Grace Dental Clinic here in Chiang Mai - which has about 20 dentists of one type or another on the staff and is considered by most to be the best of the best here; nevertheless, their policy is to bring in a specialist for all WT extraction. She confirmed the staff diagnosis that my other WT's were no problem and best left alone ("let them sleep" she said) - whereas the WT concerned was slanted and impacting the adjacent molar that X-rays showed to need further treatment.

Given all the horror stories you hear and read, I was expecting the procedure to be an ordeal and was allowing a week for recovery. I was given local anaesthesia (a lot compared to even root canal work). I'm not kidding, the tooth was out in less than five minutes from the time she first got me to open my mouth - I even managed to ask her when she was going to start the actual extraction as I genuinely thought she had only been setting up for the main event. They gave me some gauze swabs to pad the socket and a supply of ibuprofen for subsequent pain - but I really only needed both for that night and some of the next day. It was convenient to eat only soft food for a couple of days to allow the wound to heal - but not essential. After that, I frankly forgot about it.

Conclusions: I was one of the lucky ones. But so could you be. Don't put it off - and don't have the non-problem ones out. I'm 57, BTW.

[taxexile]

upper wisdom teeth rarely give problem on extraction , their short conical roots (95% of the time) ensure easy removal.

in a 57 year old however , the lack of elasticity in the bone socket can sometimes result in a piece of the maxilla coming away with the tooth if the extraction forceps are used with too much enthusiasm.

[Woofer]

Hi,

I have been to the dentists a few months ago and among other things i will have to have 'surgery' to remove a wisdom tooth or 2, i have been putting it off and off but i am now starting to suffer with severe jaw ache to the point by late afternoon its quite unbearable and also gibves me severe headaches..i was just wondering could this be because of the wisdom teeth or maybe something different..has anybody had there wisdom teeth out and if so did you suffer from pain before..

Thanks

I had one out last Thursday, it took 2 hours and 3 different dentists tried and eventually removed it. 3 days later and it still quite sore. The good news it only cost me 500 baht in Pattaya.

[Naam]

Hi '08 I'm a retired dental surgeon and I recommend: If wisdom teeth are fully submerged and there are no problems apparent on Xray then leave them be. If one is partially exposed remove it. Get a second opinion to concur that the tooth is in fact the cause of your pain (quite possible if exposed, unlikely if not and Xray looks normal) and discuss the various risks associated with your particular situation. Choke dee

went for an x-ray in december 2006 (implant). the dentist recommended an emergency operation as cysts had formed around my fully submerged four wisdom teeth and eaten up the jawbones up and down. he phoned around and e-mailed the x-ray to some renowned surgeons. all but one refused to operate. went for an appointment in BKK (don't remember the name of the hospital; something "christian..". was not impressed by what i saw and tried to get an appointment in my home country Germany. but there was Christmas, New Year, ski holidays...

finally my bankers arranged for a top hospital in Singapore. stayed 2½ days in the hospital, operation lasted nearly 5hours under full anaesthesia. no bone substrate was used to fill the voids (according to the surgeon "old technology"). last x-ray (5 months ago) showed 95% bone recovery and my Pattaya dentist was joking that i can take part in bar brawls again. total cost ~18,000 Singapore Dollars.

addendum: i had hardly any postoperative pain but was scared that BKK immigration would cause problems. not even my mother would have recognised me because my whole face and neck were swollen and discoloured.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Naam

[AmeriThai]

In my home country, it's just regular procedure to have them out about 20 or 21 years old, pain or no pain. I had no pain prior to extraction. But oh, the pain afterwards!

Really?? Is it not like having a normal tooth out?

As already stated by another poster, it can vary from person to person and depends on the the particular condition. If you're experiencing aching in the jaw and suspect it's the wisdom tooth, have a reputable dentist or oral surgeon look at it. It could be anything, including an impacted tooth or infection. An X-ray should determine what's going on.

I've had all 4 wisdom teeth removed over time. None caused any particular ache, apart from the fact that they were already loose and needed to come out. Because the teeth were already matured, and because they were somewhat loose, it just took a simple extraction to pop them out. Once removed, there was no ache or pain afterward. So, for me, it was like having a normal tooth out. But again, that can vary from person to person and depending on the particular condition of your teeth. I know there are people who have experienced aching or pain either before or after.

If the wisdom teeth are only partially exposed and are the cause of the aching, then it's possible some cutting of the gum may be necessary to get to them then stitched up. I would thenk that could cause a bit of pain afterward, but I'm sure the dentist will provide you with antibotics (if there's an infection) and something to ease the discomfort.

Choke dee khrap!

[Tony Clifton]

Before my bottom wisdom teeth popped out, I kept feeling a slight pulsating tickling sensation in my lower front teeth, not pain whatsoever. I thought it was buildup causing it and simply went for cleaning without mentioning the tickling sensation. It wasn`t painful or disturbing so I never bothered with it having no idea that the wisdom teeth were slowly impacting on all my lower teeth. I used to have beautiful straight teeth but the lower front ones have become somewhat crooked with this pushing from the other teeth.

[Ijustwannateach]

Unfortunately for me, all four of my wisdom teeth came in at bad angles (one of them was actually pushing the other teeth forward). I didn't have any pain beforehand, but my dentist saw it coming during a routine checkup and had me do an X-ray to confirm it.

Because of the odd angles, the teeth couldn't be pulled and had to be broken in situ and removed piece by piece, extracting the roots last. I only needed local anesthesia (and there was no pain during the procedure) but in my case with the odd positioning and all four teeth, it did take awhile. One of the roots actually curled around!

Possible because of the amount of tissue damage, the aftermath was pretty bloody (though not particularly painful) and there was an awkward period of time when I was still numb but my mouth was filling with blood- recommend having plenty of tissues around, and you'll need to stay near the bathroom sink for a couple of hours until the feeling kicks back in.

Had good painkillers and preventive antibiotics after the procedure, and it wasn't particularly unpleasant recovering, but I wouldn't have wanted any responsibilities for a few days, either!

"S"

[sweetchariot]

Tried to read this thread, but all the replies are sooooooooo long.

Short one: 4 removed under general anaesthetic. Part of the lower jaw removed to get to them. Hurt like sh1t for 1 month. Have now lost my bottom back molars (both sides) due to the surgery damage. Implants impossible due to lack of jawbone.

Check if it is really necessary (mine was), alot to think about.

Good luck

[taxexile]

from professional guidelines for dentists

Management of Unerupted and Impacted Third Molar Teeth

Section 3: Indications for removal

In the absence of evidence from randomised controlled trials, the indications for removal of third molar teeth are likely to remain the subject of debate. In some areas there is evidence for clear indications for removal, but it is important to recognise that these indications may be modified by the general health of the patient and local circumstances.

3.1 Strong indications for removal

3.1.1

There are a number of reasons for removal of third molars where there is pathology in and around the third molar. It is considered good practice and it is reasonable to assume that recurrent acute attacks of infection associated with third molars necessitate the early removal of the affected teeth. There is no evidence to suggest that leaving the teeth in situ makes surgery easier and there is strong evidence that morbidity increases with age.21, 30, 36 Evidence level III and IV

Removal of any symptomatic wisdom tooth should be considered, especially where there have been one or more episodes of infection such as pericoronitis, cellulitis, abscess formation; or untreatable pulpal/periapical pathology. 37, 38

3.1.2

If a second molar requires to be extracted it is sensible to remove the adjacent unerupted third molar unless the third molar could erupt into the position of the second molar. Similarly, it may be difficult to fill a carious impacted third molar and this tooth should be removed unless there is a very high risk of complications associated with the removal of that tooth. 39, 40 Evidence level III

Removal should be considered where there is caries in the third molar and the tooth is unlikely to be usefully restored, or when there is caries in the adjacent second molar tooth which cannot satisfactorily be treated without the removal of the third molar.

3.1.3

Where there is periodontal disease and pocketing between the third molar and the second molar, there is some evidence to suggest that if removal of the third molar is delayed beyond the age of 30 years then the condition may become irreversible. Removal of the third molar will result in repair of the injured periodontium and therefore early removal of the impacted third molar is beneficial. Untreated horizontal and mesio-angular impaction are particularly prone to cause bone loss distal to the second molar. Late removal of such impacted teeth has not been shown to improve the periodontal status of the adjacent second molar, but early extraction of the impacted wisdom tooth reduces periodontal damage. 41, 43 Evidence level III

Removal should be considered in cases of periodontal disease due to the position of the third molar and its association with the second molar tooth.

3.1.4

Dentigerous cyst formation and other related oral pathology are considered to be rare in association with third molars, but there is evidence of dentigerous cyst formation occurring in association with impacted third molars.42 In most cases there is a strong indication for removal of the third molar in order to prevent expansion or recurrence of a keratocyst.43 Evidence level IIb and III

Third molar removal should be considered in cases of dentigerous cyst formation or other related oral pathology.

3.1.5

External resorption of the third molar or of the second molar is relatively rare. Root resorption occurs principally in the 21-30 year old age group. The incidence after the age of 30 has been shown to be remote.44 Evidence level III

Third molar removal should be considered in cases of external resorption of the third molar or of the second molar where this would appear to be caused by the third molar.

3.2 Other indications for removal

3.2.1

Third molar removal may occasionally be indicated for orthodontic reasons. However there is evidence, including a single prospective randomised controlled trial,45 that the removal of third molars in the lower arch will not prevent, limit, or cure imbrication of the lower anterior teeth.30, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 Evidence level Ib and III

Removal of the third molar may be indicated prior to orthognathic surgery, e.g. when a sagittal split osteotomy is planned, removal of the third molar diminishes the risk of surgical complications with regard to that osteotomy.16, 18 Evidence level IV

Removal of the third molar may be indicated prior to orthognathic surgery.

There is no reliable evidence that third molar removal affects the growth of the mandible.

3.2.2

There are a number of other indications for removal of unerupted and impacted third molar teeth. These are all relative indications and are quite uncommon. These include the occasional use of the third molar tooth, when it is sound, for autogenous transplantation - usually to a first molar socket site. 34 The low incidence of success with the procedure means it is not widely used except in special circumstances. Evidence level IV

Third molar removal may be considered for autogenous transplantation to a first molar socket.

3.2.3

The presence of a tooth in a fracture line increases the risk of infection in some cases, especially when that tooth has been displaced or rendered non vital.58, 59 A similar situation arises with tumour resection and irradiation of the tissues may lead to a reduction in the blood supply, infection, or osteoradionecrosis. Early removal of teeth at the site of the resection reduces the risk of infection. 34, 60 Evidence level IV

Removal may be considered in cases of fracture of the mandible in the third molar region or when a tooth is involved in tumour resection.

3.2.4

Rarely, an unerupted third molar may lie in an atrophic mandible and a careful choice needs to be made whether it is better to remove the tooth or leave it in situ. There is no clear evidence as to what is best to do and a degree of common sense must therefore prevail.7 Evidence level IV

Removal of an unerupted third molar in an atrophic mandible may be appropriate.

This situation needs to be carefully evaluated. In very elderly patients the third molar might be left but in a middle-aged patient where there is a risk of spontaneous fracture or where minor trauma might cause a fracture then prophylactic removal is appropriate.

3.2.5

In the presence of specific medical conditions such as cardiac valvular disease or in a situation when the patient may require radiotherapy it is clear that where there is a potential for infection, this should be eliminated. A partially erupted third molar tooth would come into this category, whereas a completely unerupted tooth which was never likely to erupt would not. In borderline situations, removal should be undertaken if symptoms are likely in the future. Other medical procedures such as organ transplantation, chemotherapy, or the insertion of alloplastic implants should be considered in a similar way.7, 34 Evidence level IV

Prophylactic removal of a partially erupted third molar or a third molar which is likely to erupt may be appropriate in the presence of certain specific medical conditions.

3.2.6

The situation with regard to facial pain of an atypical nature is a difficult one and removal of a completely buried tooth should only be considered as a last resort and only when the patient points to that area as the source of pain. In some cases this relieves the pain but there is no guarantee. It is not known why a completely buried third molar should cause pain.

Much more commonly, atypical facial pain is associated with temporomandibular joint dysfunction and this possibility must be eliminated. Signs of muscle spasm are normally present in dysfunctional situations. Confusion can arise when there is concomitant muscle pain associated with a clenching habit and local third molar pain.4, 61 Evidence level III

Atypical pain from an unerupted third molar is a most unusual situation and it is essential to avoid any confusion with temporomandibular joint or muscle dysfunction before considering removal.

3.2.7

Pain associated with the lower third molar tooth is commonly exacerbated by the upper third molar biting on the gum flap, causing pain and discomfort. If the upper third molar tooth is easy to remove and it is non functional then immediate removal of that tooth will often dramatically relieve the pain from the area. This is particularly useful where there is likely to be delay in the surgical removal of the lower third molar.

Acute exacerbation of symptoms occurring while the patient is on a waiting list for third molar surgery may be managed by extraction of the opposing maxillary third molar.

3.2.8

If the third molar tooth is close to the surface or has broken through the surface in relation to an upper or lower denture then it is appropriate to remove that tooth before or as soon as symptoms arise, as they are likely to persist and become more severe if the tooth is not removed.7, 31 Evidence level IV

Removal of a partially erupted or unerupted third molar close to the alveolar surface should be considered prior to denture construction or close to a planned implant.

There are virtually no controlled trials or rigorous studies in the situations described above, although the outcome of an American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons five-year prospective multicentre international study may provide valuable information. In most cases, the individual situation is self evident and the line of treatment is obvious. However, where there is doubt, careful consideration should be given as to the risks and benefits of removal of third molars in these patients.

tony clifton

Before my bottom wisdom teeth popped out, I kept feeling a slight pulsating tickling sensation in my lower front teeth, not pain whatsoever. I thought it was buildup causing it and simply went for cleaning without mentioning the tickling sensation. It wasn`t painful or disturbing so I never bothered with it having no idea that the wisdom teeth were slowly impacting on all my lower teeth. I used to have beautiful straight teeth but the lower front ones have become somewhat crooked with this pushing from the other teeth.

the oft quoted complaint that wisdom teeth push all the teeth forward and cause imbrication (crowding) of the lower incisors is a myth. see 3.2.1. above.

its due mostly to a natural ongoing process called mesial drift. your front teeth would have crowded even if you didnt have wisdom teeth

[AmeriThai]

Good read Taxexile. It can be pretty complicated and really requires having it looked at by a qualified specialist, especially if there is any discomfort, ache or pain involved.

[raro]

Unfortunately for me, all four of my wisdom teeth came in at bad angles (one of them was actually pushing the other teeth forward). I didn't have any pain beforehand, but my dentist saw it coming during a routine checkup and had me do an X-ray to confirm it.

Because of the odd angles, the teeth couldn't be pulled and had to be broken in situ and removed piece by piece, extracting the roots last. I only needed local anesthesia (and there was no pain during the procedure) but in my case with the odd positioning and all four teeth, it did take awhile. One of the roots actually curled around!

Possible because of the amount of tissue damage, the aftermath was pretty bloody (though not particularly painful) and there was an awkward period of time when I was still numb but my mouth was filling with blood- recommend having plenty of tissues around, and you'll need to stay near the bathroom sink for a couple of hours until the feeling kicks back in.

Had good painkillers and preventive antibiotics after the procedure, and it wasn't particularly unpleasant recovering, but I wouldn't have wanted any responsibilities for a few days, either!

"S"

same here. Luckily I had only three wisdom teeth (ain't it good having birhdefects? ) to start with and my dentist back in Germany talked me into removing them one by one. They started with one that was 90° angled. Same as for IJWT they had to cut it into bits and pieces to get it out. No fun! It was my most memorable experiences with any doctor or treatment. Sheer torture! The aneastheticum was not dosed high enough and even though I complained they somewhat ignored it. Further, you can hear all the drilling, cutting, lathing, grinding they do to get the frickin' tooth out

The following week I was under heavy pain killers and spitting blood...even worse, spitting or swallowing caused even more pain.

Therefor I decided that the other two teeth remain in place until something happens.

This something happened last week. I have an infection caused by one of the wisdom teeth. Went to the dentist and an X-ray revealed that the toth in question is poppoing out of the jaw bone but still covered by gum. Further, it is pushing the tooth in front of it up. Strong indication for a quick removal - I am actually due tomorrow.

Now comes the best thing...I have some sort of a syringe phobea and freak out when those needles get anywhere close to me.

I discussed with my dentist various knock-out options, she suggested valium. I asked whether she has some dormicum on stock and yes, that is probably a way to go. Downside: that cost about 1,500 Baht extra but maybe well worth the investment as it you won't remember a thing from the procedure.

Any advise here? I also remember Xanax ko-ing me pretty well once.

[autonomous_unit]

I had submerged wisdom teeth that were growing forwards instead of up, so I had them out surgically when I was about 20 years old. They had to cut holes in the gums and jaw to get down to them before they could get to the part where they smash them into rubble and remove them.

I opted for an intravenous demerol treatment that more or less slows you down and prevents you from remembering, while still leaving you conscious enough to interact with the doctor and avoid hazards like choking and not breathing while they are busy in your mouth. They gave me laughing gas to make me less concerned about the I.V. needle going in, then valium via the I.V. to make me less concerned about the demerol trip, and then the demerol itself via I.V. I highly recommend this for anyone who is concerned they might punch out the surgeon during a fully-awake treatment.

I tend to be resistant to the local injected pain-killers and such (I seem to metabolize them very quickly), and sure enough I still have memories of waking up mid-procedure and trying to grimace against the clamps holding my mouth open. It didn't take long for them to realize I needed a second dose of the demerol and all of the oral shots because the pain had dumped me back into consciousness...

[raro]

Update on the story...

The dental surgeon didn’t like the idea of Xanax or Dormicum or any other knock-out drug as the blood running down the throat during the operation might cause the vocal chords to close and this would be an unpleasant emergency.

Moreover, the Xanax (1 mg) had more or less no effect on me until about two hours later when I felt a bit dizzy. So I decided to take another one and back to the PIH, but your surgeon still didn’t want to operate…fearing that I runaway in the middle of the procedure.

I went for a beer instead...the good thing about Xanax is that you can have a really cheap night at the pub...

Ironically, the inflammation that prompted me to see the dentist in the first place has more or less healed off (with salt water, good advise from the doctor!), so that frickin’ wisdom tooth stays where it is for the time being…

[2008bangkok]

Thanks alot for the posts people in the end i needed two Wisdon out one bottom right and the other top left and had 1 out then the other a week later there was no pain for either and i was back eating noprmally the next day..thanks for advice