icedawg & the wisdom teeth

**icedawg** · 08-17-2005 08:28 PM

well, i had my wisdom teeth removed today. as it turns out, the x-ray revealed i was "fortunate" enough to be "blessed" with a hidden additional wisdom teeth, so i actually had 5 removed. anyway, i just thought i'd share my story about the surgery for anyone else with this procedure looming over them, in case perhaps i can help allay some trepidation.

i had requested a general anesthesia, but unfortunately i would have had to wait about a month for that, and i wanted to get this done prior to returning to school, so i instead had an 'IVS' (intravenous sedative) along with nitrous oxide (lauging gas). i was quite worried about this at first because a number of people i talked to seemed rather concerned that i wasn't going for the general anesthesia, but it seems their concerns were quite unfounded. the surgery itself was a breeze. i mean, after the nitrous oxide, i really didn't care what was going on, nor did i really even know--i was practically half asleep during the operation.

the IVS of course numbed my entire mouth and surrounding area, so i felt essentially nothing. i say essentially nothing because i was aware the surgeon was in my mouth, and i felt some pressure, but absolutely no pain. i was aware of him moving from tooth to tooth, but had no idea that the teeth were actually being pulled. i mean, i couldn't believe it when the dental surgeon had said he was all done...i was never aware of a tooth actually being removed.

i had one occluded (or "impacted") wisdom tooth, which means it was buried below the gum (aside from a small visible part). they would have had to cut the gum to reveal the tooth, but again this is something that was all transparent to me really. also, since that extra wisdom tooth was somewhat below one of the regular ones, i'd imagine that was somewhat extensive as well.

so now i have lots of gauze in my mouth (lots of blood...oh man), and a couple ice packs tied around my face. i also get to enjoy liquid/soft food for the next few days...w00t? but, i got some pain killers too (percocet--which for those of you who don't know, is acetaminophen and oxycodone) and some Tylenol #3's, i believe.

anyway, i'm hardly out of the woods yet. now i get to look forward to lots of swelling, still more bleeding, and then of course possible bruising and whatnot. but, the best part is (i guess) this gets me out of work for the next few days! sure, perhaps not the ideal way to spend one's vacation, but i'll take what i can get.

as i said, all in all, the surgery itself was great. i had recently had a cavity filled and had experienced more discomfort during that than the wisdom teeth removal (was quite uncomfortable, kept having to swallow and whatnot, but that wasn't the case at all during this surgery).

so in conclusion...not much to worry about during the surgery...it's afterward that the real fun begins--from what i understand anyway. it's much too soon to tell for me just yet.

**Seeker** · 08-17-2005 08:36 PM

Nitrous is pretty cool stuff! Guess you will be spending your time here for a few days eh?

**nina** · 08-17-2005 08:41 PM

Oh my shit.

I went for a consultation about my wisdom teeth about a month ago and they showed me this 20 minute video that scared the living daylights out of me so I ran out of there without scheduling another appointment. 150 bucks down the drain.

Now I can feel 2 out of 4 of them poking their nasty little heads through and I even sometimes bite my cheek because of it b/c they are coming in sideways. So I definitely need to get them taken out I'm just scared as HELL!

Anyways...hope your recovery goes well and don't get too attached to those percocets.

**A Lost Soul** · 08-17-2005 09:15 PM

Oh man... At least you have good drugs, right?

**Clairity** · 08-17-2005 09:42 PM

icedawg, I'm so glad everything went well!

When I was about 19 I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. Mine were ALL impacted and therefore the gum had to be cut for them all and I was put under general anesthesia.

I too remember the gauze and the oh so lovely taste of blood in my mouth.

I also recall (not too fondly) my sister calling me chipmunk cheeks for about a week or so!

My husband had the IVS to remove his wisdom teeth in the dentist's office and I remember lauging while I tried to "guide" him to the car afterwards. One thing that the dentist had me do was to get teabags, wet them and have my husband put them on the empty sockets.. this was to help sooth his gums and to prevent dry socket or something.

Let me close by saying Tylenol 3 is a wonderful thing!!

**Lucius** · 08-17-2005 09:44 PM

I got mine removed a few months ago. 4 of them. They never really bothered me that much but they said to remove them anyway. The actual surgery itself was indeed a breeze, I found too. But the time thereafter...oh man, I feel sorry for you. Eek the blood! Bad memories..

Take care, now. And good luck everybody else that is getting them removed someday!

**Rakkantekimusouka** · 08-17-2005 10:05 PM

Well, since we're all swapping stories, I had mine removed this May -- I was lucky to only have 3, as one of the bottom ones never came in for some reason. The thing was I felt fine right after the surgery, but once I was home, and the novacaine wore off HOLY OW! My right cheek -- the jaw with two -- swelled up for days.

My condolences, iceman.

Sounds like it was quite a nightmare, but it's over now and things can only get better from here.

**Amethyst Star** · 08-17-2005 11:26 PM

Glad things went well for you, ice! With any luck you won't have much swelling as long as you keep the ice on. My sister had all four removed and was back in action about two days later. It seems like dentists are finally getting better at it... though I've decided never to go back to the dentist I was seeing before, not even for a cleaning. Dr. Harsh earned his name well.... though he was gentler when I was younger.

Harsh: *pulls cheek as far as humanly possible without ripping something*
Me: *crying inside thinking horrible tortures for the dentist*
Harsh: *pokes sharp metal instrument into cavity
Me: *screaming inside as thinking* YES! That's a cavity! Stop poking at it now that you know what it is!
~later~
Harsh: Alright. We're all done!
Me: *puts on fake smile as she takes complimentary toothbrush* See you later. *thinks* May you be ravaged by wolverines! *nurses aching face*

**nina** · 08-17-2005 11:38 PM

Hey Ice, you and adidas can be wittle chubby face buddies tehehe. He got his wisdom teeth out today also:

Originally posted by adidas
yes so before going 'under the knife' this morning, the dentist brings in a stereo and puts*on neil diamond sweet caroline. he didn't just do this softly in the background... ohh no... he had it turned up loud and he was singing along. i was about to book it out the door but that was the last thing i remember. damnit. now my mouth is bleeding and i can't eat apples. *grumble*

*makes soup for both of you*

**nesgirl119** · 08-18-2005 12:06 AM

Yeah, I remembered I had mine removed about the time I left Middle School I believe. It would have been bad if I would have let them grow in, b/c they were going to actually grow right out of my cheeks (That would have made me look like a walrus). Fortunately, I healed mostly within 2 days (would have been complete, if it weren't for those flipping dry sockets), & healed completely within a week....luckily he injected the anesthesia into me after putting cotton right on my arm, which made me ready to attack him(I REALLY hate cotton!)!

**nightowl** · 08-18-2005 03:57 AM

O_O

god im terrified now

;_;

**nesgirl119** · 08-18-2005 04:00 AM

Originally posted by nightowl
O_O

god im terrified now *

;_;

What?! I was just telling the truth!!

**Fetish** · 08-18-2005 04:06 AM

when you "woke up " did you find you pants unzipped?

XD

anyway the oxycodone packs a punch my mom had to take it for a while and she out of it. you kinda loss the ability to relise what you saying too. so ya.

ps. nina your soup looks like pee

**nesgirl119** · 08-18-2005 04:17 AM

Originally posted by Fetish

ps. nina your soup looks like pee

Not funny at all!!!

**nina** · 08-18-2005 05:03 AM

Originally posted by Fetish
ps. nina your soup looks like pee

shhhhhh...

**jay dawg** · 08-18-2005 05:33 AM

pea soup perhaps?

ahhh ice, i think 2 of my teeth have grown all the way through, sometimes i can still feel intense teething on my bottom two, which i havnt noticed much progress with

. i am scared shittless of getting them pulled. unless the pain of not going gets stronger than actually going, i wont! ahh the blood!

**icedawg** · 08-18-2005 05:35 PM

*Day 2*

well, i'm still doing some bleeding, so i've got some more gauze in my mouth. i'm also still donning ice packs, which i'm supposed to stop shortly (only for 24 hours, it says); so far i've had absolutely no swelling that i can detect, though, so i'm a little reluctant to give up on the ice packs. plus, they're supposed to help with the clotting, so i think i'm going to opt for their usage for a few more hours.

my main concern is developing dry socket, since i'm still bleeding. i've been pretty careful not to disrupt the [hopefully forming] clots, but i guess i'll just have to wait and see what happens.

nina and others: again, the surgery itself really seems like nothing to worry about. i mean, yes, we're all individuals and have all different doctors, so i can hardly form generalizations from my unique case, but having said that, the surgery itself was a breeze, and i had 5 wisdom teeth pulled! for people with several impacted teeth, however, it'd obviously be a little more invasive...i'm glad i had only one.

oh and nina, where was adidas's surgery performed anyway, in the back of a bait & tackle shack? man, i would have just run (or stumbled) away.

Clairity, yes i too recall hearing others being called chipmunks, but thankfully no swelling here yet. i hear, however, that it can take 24-48 for its onset, so i may yet have that to look forward to.

thanks for all your support and kind words everyone. if anyone else has a wisdom tooth experience (or fear regarding upcoming surgery) please feel free to share!

anyway, i have oh-so-very-much reading to be doing, so buh-bye.

**nesgirl119** · 08-18-2005 05:47 PM

Originally posted by icedawg
*Day 2*

well, i'm still doing some bleeding, so i've got some more gauze in my mouth. *i'm also still donning ice packs, which i'm supposed to stop shortly (only for 24 hours, it says); so far i've had absolutely no swelling that i can detect, though, so i'm a little reluctant to give up on the ice packs. *plus, they're supposed to help with the clotting, so i think i'm going to opt for their usage for a few more hours.
my main concern is developing dry socket, since i'm still bleeding. *i've been pretty careful not to disrupt the [hopefully forming] clots, but i guess i'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Poor Icedawg! Hope you feel better a lot sooner!
Ughh! I hated that! I would have been completely better, had it not been for that!! They had to put that yucky stuff in those dry sockets!!!

**Fetish** · 08-18-2005 06:15 PM

I cant believe none of you have made a joke about the tooth fairy. Ugh you people disgust me .

**nesgirl119** · 08-18-2005 06:19 PM

Originally posted by Fetish
I cant believe none of you have made a joke about the tooth fairy. Ugh you people disgust me .

This is more about Wisdom teeth being removed than getting chocolate under your pillow while you LD!

**Rakkantekimusouka** · 08-18-2005 11:03 PM

Good to hear you're on the road to recovery, Icester.

Originally posted by icedawg
oh and nina, where was adidas's surgery performed anyway, in the back of a bait & tackle shack? man, i would have just run (or stumbled) away.

ROFLMAO

**OpheliaBlue** · 08-19-2005 12:00 AM

damn dude, what an ordeal =/

I had two top wisdom teeth removed, but all I got was a local anesthetic. Then I had a dress rehearsal that same night, and I remember spitting out a chunk of bloody cotton on the stage while attempting to sing full voice. I got some Vicoprofin after the extraction, but I didn't want to take it because I was afraid it would affect my voice in the rehearsal.

Oh well, that was a weird experience. No dry sockets though thank goodness.

Anyway, I sure hope you don't form any dry sockets either. Just don't suck on anything

. Hope you get back to 'normal' asap.

**nina** · 08-19-2005 12:11 AM

What in god's name are dry sockets!!!!! That wasn't in the video and that damn thing scared me enough...now there is something ELSE to worry about...ohhhh man I'm such a wimp *cries*

**nesgirl119** · 08-19-2005 12:14 AM

Originally posted by Aquanina
What in god's name are dry sockets!!!!! That wasn't in the video and that damn thing scared me enough...now there is something ELSE to worry about...ohhhh man I'm such a wimp *cries*

It's when the outside of the socket heals over the inside when it isn't completely better.... And actually, it wasn't that bad, except for that yucky stuff they had to put into then!

**icedawg** · 08-19-2005 02:09 PM

Originally posted by OpheliaBlue+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OpheliaBlue)</div>

I had two top wisdom teeth removed, but all I got was a local anesthetic. Then I had a dress rehearsal that same night, and I remember spitting out a chunk of bloody cotton on the stage while attempting to sing full voice. I got some Vicoprofin after the extraction, but I didn't want to take it because I was afraid it would affect my voice in the rehearsal.[/b]

what? who the hell schedules wisdom teeth extraction the day of a rehearsal?

ass.

<!--QuoteBegin-Aquanina
What in god's name are dry sockets!!!!!

from what i understand, the definite cause of them is not known with absolute certainty, but it is believed they are caused when clots are unable to form (or interrupted from forming). this can be caused by damaged/crushed blood cells in the socket area. basically, nothing heals over the sockets, so they remain open and become dry (i believe revealing some of the jaw bone beneath). when that possibility was explained to me prior to surgery that became essentially my one-and-only concern. girls apparently have to worry more about it than guys...haha...suckers.

anyway, last night, while lightly brushing my teeth (which i was told to do) i disrupted one of the clots unfortunately. it wasn't a major rush of blood; just enough to worry me. i believe it was from the socket that held the impacted tooth, which of course was the most difficult one to form a clot in the first place. still bleeding a little this morning, but i'm sure it'll clot once more.

man, that percocet helps me fall asleep, but sure isn't keeping me asleep all night. i keep waking up around 5AM, then 7AM, etc. plus, i'm constantly hungry (stupid bloody liquids i'm having for "food").

no swelling or bruising at all though! from what i heard swelling was very common...well hah! in your face swelling!

oh, and Fetish, they unfortunately didn't give me my wisdom teeth back.

man, i would have liked to have kept that 5th one. probably lucky i'd bet.

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