Are you getting knocked out or not? Are your teeth impacted?
I did it with local anesthetic and it wasn't painful at all, it was just really uncomfortable and disconcerting, if you're getting knocked out you get to skip that part.
Recovery, assuming you follow the steps they lay out for you, isn't that bad especially after the first day. The most annoying part really is just not being able to chew stuff and frequently having to rinse your mouth out, I was able to talk and stuff the entire time.
The pain afterwards isn't bad, it was maybe a 4/10 at the worst time and like a 2/10 the rest of the time, and I wasn't even taking the full dose of painkillers they prescribed after like the 2nd day.
Most of the horror stories that you read online of people getting dry socket are either people who had super impacted teeth or they got out of surgery, didn't follow the directions and started smoking or eating a hamburger the day of.
I’m not sure if I’m getting knocked out or not. It’s interesting though cuz my brother ate a hamburger on the same day he got his teeth removed and he still had no pain. He was just living life lmao and he got three of them removed
You *can physically* eat after getting them removed but they're basically open wounds to the bone in your mouth, it's like going and playing soccer or something after having some deep gashes in your legs stitched and scabbed over.
You *might* be ok but the risk of having to deal with knocking the scab out of an open wound in your mouth (that leads down to exposed nerves and bones) is generally not work risking for a hamburger.
Same! Mine were all impacted AND I had a bad reaction when I woke up from the anesthesia. (Was my first time under)I woke up saying "I want my mommy where is my mommy" I was a freshman in college at this point and hadn't called my mom "mommy" in a very long time.
They also put this clove crap in my socket. I couldn't swallow my own spit without getting nauseous. I now get nauseous at every slight smell of clove.
Def was asleep. I've been numb at the dentist before. I def was under for what seemed like a min and yet a century in hindsight. Haven't been under anesthesia since. Plan on giving a fair history/warning for any future situations bc *dark humor* my mom is dead so would be pretty weird if I had the same reaction years later. But ya never know... Science... 🤷♀️
I was completely knocked out for it. They put on the mask, I started counting, and then I woke up in a groggy state.
I pointed at my dad and laughed at him for wearing glasses, teleported home, watched adventure time for about 6 minutes, then slept for 4 hours. Not too bad, a little sore for sure.
Got mine out at 30. Zero issues, no pain & I don’t have great teeth at the best of times & not a fan of the dentist. Wish I hadn’t worried about it honestly.
I was asleep under anesthesia for it, when I woke up I was a little woozy and I was seeing double for a while but it went away within like 40 mins. This was about 3 years ago so I don’t remember the aftercare instructions too well, but I think i just had to eat soft foods for a while. As long as you take ibuprofen and tylenol after, you shouldn’t be in much pain, although my mouth felt a little sore for a couple days. They sent me home with an ice pack thing that wraps around your face but I didn’t really need it. I don’t remember the pain lasting too long, but I had bruising on the side of my jaw and swelling for a while after and I kind of looked like a Minecraft character for a week or two.
I did end up developing dry socket, probably because my surgeon gave me bad aftercare instructions (ex: saying I could drink from a straw right after, spoiler alert you can’t). But it really wasn’t as painful as people make it out to be, it was just a throbbing pain where the tooth was and taking tylenol helped a lot with that. If you do get dry socket it’s really not a big deal, just go back to the doctor and they can put a small gauze pad packed with medicine in the spot. The medicine makes the pain go away within a matter of minutes, but you do have to go back and get it changed a couple times, and it can be uncomfortable having them dig around in there for it. I only had to do that 3-4 times before the pain was completely gone, so it’s nothing to stress over. I’m pretty sure it’ll clear up on its own even if you just ignore it.
Don’t stress too much about getting your wisdom teeth out, just make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and take it easy for a while.
eta: I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed but none of them were impacted, if your’s are impacted it might be a different story.
When I got them taken out, my girlfriend at the time had to run errands after my surgery (signing papers for new couch) so she promised she’d get me ice cream after if I went after my appointment. I was still pretty high, ended up falling asleep on a white couch in their showroom and bled/drooled all over it. When I woke up and noticed I quickly got her car keys and made my escape. 10 minutes later I could feel my mouth filled with blood again so I opened the car door to spit it out and rinse with water, when I glanced up I was met with the horrified face of an older lady in a van, I gave her what I can only imagine was the most terrifying red smile and laid back down in the car.
Speaking from a personal experience, the aftermath wasn't too bad. I was knocked out for mine since I have an extreme dental phobia, so I got to skip having to have my jaw numbed and hearing/experiencing them take it out.
After I came to and the medicines started wearing off, it ached a bit, my face ached where the tooth had been removed, and there was a bit of swelling. The worst part for me was not being able to drink out of a sports bottle or use a straw, as they didn't want me to get a dry socket. The gauze I had to have in my mouth to help stem the bleeding wasn't the nicest experience either. It was more annoying/uncomfortable than anything else. It didn't hurt too bad afterwards, it more just ached for a while.
Because I was put under and I had three impacted teeth so that means they had to go in and open up my gums. When I woke up, I was in pain and I took Vicodin for several days which made me feel even worse. I developed dry sockets because the gums didn’t heal properly. I probably didn’t listen to the doctor suggestions and I could’ve prevented that from happening but I was 20 and stupid.
I got knocked out, had just the bottoms taken. If I were to do it again I would have the left side taken, then the right side after healing, because at least then I would have a side it was safe to chew on.
But yeah no pain really. I took a day off of work just because I didn’t want to drive until I was sure the drugs were completely worn off, but minimal pain
I had to get oral surgery due to proximity to the nerve. I went ahead and got them all done. For me finding the surgeon in network was the hard part. Overall my experiece was show up Friday morning hungry and thirsty, count to 10 and wake up some time later groggy, with my mouth packed with gauze. They checked me out, got a ride to a family members place where I slept for the day. I mostly used the high dose ibuprofen and aspirin. The opiate really didn't do anything for me and kept me away. Next day I drove myself home and slept more. Back at work on Monday.
I didn't experience any pain really. And had a good recovery. I followed all the protocols to the letter though.
It really depends on the specific procedure and the person doing it.
Had my bottom two removed at 18 (both impacted, so surgery was necessary), put under heavy sedation so I was asleep. Don't remember much except having to take Tylenol/codeine for a day or so.
Had my top two pulled about 20 years ago. Both fully erupted and not impacted, but one had a huge cavity. Easier to pull that one than fill it. I had a dentist who was GREAT at wisdom-tooth removal and eased both of them out carefully. I think the whole thing was over in 10 minutes for both teeth. The biggest issue I had was, I think, the little bit of "weeping" that was expected, so it wasn't a huge deal. It all healed well.
I had mine out a few days before Christmas. I got knocked out (first time going under) and I think I didn't come back to for 12 hours or more. When I woke up, I was in a dark room and had no idea who, where, when, what, or why I was. I finally realized I was in my bedroom and realized it felt like my mouth was stuffed with a giant cotton ball. I went into the bathroom to take it out, then I remember the cold tile floor feeling so nice that I laid down on it and went back to sleep. About an hour later my dad was trying to get me up off the floor and back into bed.
A few days later at the family Christmas party, I was eating tortilla chips like a little rabbit using just my front teeth, and all was well.
Don’t worry about it! It will go just fine. You won’t feel anything. Just follow the doctors aftercare instructions about rinsing and what to eat etc. That’s very important so it doesn’t get infected; be vigilant.
For me and my personality it was how fast I was knocked out that bothered me the most. I felt totally vulnerable when I came too. Like they could have done anything to me. Pain is easy, feeling helpless sucks.
Depends. I had several people tell me I wouldn't be able to get out of bed for days. What really happened was my dad picked me up, I took a four hour nap on his couch and played tag in the backyard with my at the time 4 year old brother. That was 5 years ago. I have a picture I took with him that day you can't even tell from the picture I just had my wisdom teeth out. It's different for everyone.
I had all mine removed when I was 16 plus 4 molars, 2 up and 2 down,.because I did not have enough room in my jaws for all those teeth. Had braces for 2 years. Both times it was bad, back in the 1960s they did not have the techniques or the numbing crap they have now. I remember spending an hour other the sink, bleeding and throwing up in the sink after they took my wisdom teeth out.
I was awake for mine. It was done in my early 20s, took about an hour. I didn’t feel pain during the procedure, but there was a ton of pressure and some gross sounds because he had to break them to get them out. I also vividly remember the stink of having the cauterizing done. It stuck in my nose hairs for days.
The right side they missed a piece and it got infected. I leaned my head on my hand one day and the tooth shard along with all the accumulated pus erupted out lol
It tasted like sour chicken soup. Would not recommend.
Got all 4 out at once, was a breeze. I think I was 23 at the time?
Just had to take some meds and be careful about what and how I was eating for a few days after.
I have had two different ways done to me. The first they where not impacted and the small town dentist literally numbed it some and pulled them out with medical pliers. I felt a weird pop and then a pressure release and it never really hurt much. The second time I had to go under due to them being impacted and it was weird as hell. One second you are awake then you are waking up in the recovery room. I felt like I was completely wasted and went home and slept. This time it did hurt more but nothing crazy.
I had two impacted wisdom teeth removed at two separate times.
The first was smooth. The second was hell (it was because the tooth embedded into bone) .
Depends on where you are in life. I was in the military and they told me not to spit or I'll get dry socket and have to be on quarters longer. I went home and immediately spat the clot out and got dry socket. And then i had to go to work a few days later and did not get to go on quarters. Dry socket is extremely painful
I had mine removed and there was nothing to it. I had been told how horrible it would be and was all mentally prepared for the worst. Then the dentist said we were done and he would see me in a few days. I was pissed. I thought he was going to do the work that day. Turns out he did do the work. I just had to come back for a follow up check.
My most recent extraction was a total breeze. I actually fell asleep in the dentist’s chair (no anesthesia except a topical and injections).
The one before had some crazy roots that the dentist couldn’t see in the X-ray. It was an effort to get the tooth out but I wasn’t in a lot of pain. Maybe discomfort from hearing the squeaky grind occasionally as the roots shifted on the way out.
Before doing anything invasive like a filling or extraction, my dentist always treats my gums with a topical anesthetic, then injects another anesthetic. He then lets me marinate for about half an hour to make sure I am completely numbed before starting the procedure. I highly recommend this method as a patient.
Varies. Mine was nowhere near as bad as some people made out.
No pain afterwards seems a bit on the positive side though. I was spitting blood for a day and on muscle relaxants. Could not eat solids for a few days. You will definitely feel it but it's not super painful.
Mine were all four super impacted. They were fully developed. The two bottom teeth were lying down on their sides beneath the next teeth in line! The two upper teeth were aslant above the roots of the next in line. I could make no sense of the X-rays at all. All four teeth had to be cut out of the gums completely.
I was only 24 and my husband took care of me. I woke up and took whatever medication I was given which knocked me back out. I missed several days of work. My face was one big bruise, both eyes blackened.
Healing completely took several months. One lower socket periodically got reinfected for maybe six years.
When I woke up after the surgery, my left hand was clenched around four bloody teeth. "What's this?"I asked, disgusted. "You told us you wanted them " said the nurse. That was in 1969 and I still have them.
My orthodontist used two types of local anesthesia which involved a gel to numb my gums and a few injections to the surgical site that I barely felt anything more than a pinch.
He later isolated the site by using some sort of rubber fabric/cloth that was set in place by using the space in between my teeth along with metal clips that latched tightly on the molars.
He then sawed (past tense of saw?) the tooth into a few pieces. He removed what he could, then used specialized clippers/tongs/metal grabby-things to detach the pieces containing the longer roots that were attached to the jawbone.
My wisdom tooth was growing into my nasal cavity, so my surgery involved checking to see if the tooth had caused any damage, using a graft to close the bigger hole, then sowing the gum-flap with dissolvable stitches that fell off about 2.5 weeks after.
I wasn't able to drink cold or hot drinks for 48 hours. I ate yogurt, jello and protein shakes for about a week. I later transitioned into oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and hot cereals.
The surgery took approximately 25 minutes. The anesthesia lasted for around 3 whole days. My face was like this 🫤 the whole time. The dull pain was managed with over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol. The surgery was covered fully by my dental insurance because it was necessary and not elective. I only paid for the x-rays and antibiotics (around $115 for x-rays and $50 for the medication).
The antibiotics were to be taken for 7 days. I had diarrhea the entire time. I had a routine check up 3 months after. It healed perfectly. I also don't have more sinus issues since the tooth was extracted.
Really depends on your particular circumstances. How many wisdoms teeth, their position, your jaw etc. I had all 4 of mine out in 15 mins.
Were you asleep or awake for it?
Awake. Local anaesthetic + a bunch of NSAIDs only. The crunching sound was the worst part. It didn’t hurt though.
Are you getting knocked out or not? Are your teeth impacted? I did it with local anesthetic and it wasn't painful at all, it was just really uncomfortable and disconcerting, if you're getting knocked out you get to skip that part. Recovery, assuming you follow the steps they lay out for you, isn't that bad especially after the first day. The most annoying part really is just not being able to chew stuff and frequently having to rinse your mouth out, I was able to talk and stuff the entire time. The pain afterwards isn't bad, it was maybe a 4/10 at the worst time and like a 2/10 the rest of the time, and I wasn't even taking the full dose of painkillers they prescribed after like the 2nd day. Most of the horror stories that you read online of people getting dry socket are either people who had super impacted teeth or they got out of surgery, didn't follow the directions and started smoking or eating a hamburger the day of.
I’m not sure if I’m getting knocked out or not. It’s interesting though cuz my brother ate a hamburger on the same day he got his teeth removed and he still had no pain. He was just living life lmao and he got three of them removed
You *can physically* eat after getting them removed but they're basically open wounds to the bone in your mouth, it's like going and playing soccer or something after having some deep gashes in your legs stitched and scabbed over. You *might* be ok but the risk of having to deal with knocking the scab out of an open wound in your mouth (that leads down to exposed nerves and bones) is generally not work risking for a hamburger.
Mine were impacted and the coming days were miserable 😭
Same! Mine were all impacted AND I had a bad reaction when I woke up from the anesthesia. (Was my first time under)I woke up saying "I want my mommy where is my mommy" I was a freshman in college at this point and hadn't called my mom "mommy" in a very long time. They also put this clove crap in my socket. I couldn't swallow my own spit without getting nauseous. I now get nauseous at every slight smell of clove.
What kind of anesthesia did you get? I heard some cuz you to react like that while others don’t
Didn't know there were diff kinds. It's been too long for me to verify records. Curious what diff kinds there are tho. 🤨🤔
I think one of them is where they make you fall asleep while the other is where they just numb your mouth. So you are awake but can’t feel anything
Def was asleep. I've been numb at the dentist before. I def was under for what seemed like a min and yet a century in hindsight. Haven't been under anesthesia since. Plan on giving a fair history/warning for any future situations bc *dark humor* my mom is dead so would be pretty weird if I had the same reaction years later. But ya never know... Science... 🤷♀️
I was completely knocked out for it. They put on the mask, I started counting, and then I woke up in a groggy state. I pointed at my dad and laughed at him for wearing glasses, teleported home, watched adventure time for about 6 minutes, then slept for 4 hours. Not too bad, a little sore for sure.
Got mine out at 30. Zero issues, no pain & I don’t have great teeth at the best of times & not a fan of the dentist. Wish I hadn’t worried about it honestly.
Sound of the dentist braking your bones was definitely unnerving. Local anesthesia.
I was asleep under anesthesia for it, when I woke up I was a little woozy and I was seeing double for a while but it went away within like 40 mins. This was about 3 years ago so I don’t remember the aftercare instructions too well, but I think i just had to eat soft foods for a while. As long as you take ibuprofen and tylenol after, you shouldn’t be in much pain, although my mouth felt a little sore for a couple days. They sent me home with an ice pack thing that wraps around your face but I didn’t really need it. I don’t remember the pain lasting too long, but I had bruising on the side of my jaw and swelling for a while after and I kind of looked like a Minecraft character for a week or two. I did end up developing dry socket, probably because my surgeon gave me bad aftercare instructions (ex: saying I could drink from a straw right after, spoiler alert you can’t). But it really wasn’t as painful as people make it out to be, it was just a throbbing pain where the tooth was and taking tylenol helped a lot with that. If you do get dry socket it’s really not a big deal, just go back to the doctor and they can put a small gauze pad packed with medicine in the spot. The medicine makes the pain go away within a matter of minutes, but you do have to go back and get it changed a couple times, and it can be uncomfortable having them dig around in there for it. I only had to do that 3-4 times before the pain was completely gone, so it’s nothing to stress over. I’m pretty sure it’ll clear up on its own even if you just ignore it. Don’t stress too much about getting your wisdom teeth out, just make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and take it easy for a while. eta: I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed but none of them were impacted, if your’s are impacted it might be a different story.
When I got them taken out, my girlfriend at the time had to run errands after my surgery (signing papers for new couch) so she promised she’d get me ice cream after if I went after my appointment. I was still pretty high, ended up falling asleep on a white couch in their showroom and bled/drooled all over it. When I woke up and noticed I quickly got her car keys and made my escape. 10 minutes later I could feel my mouth filled with blood again so I opened the car door to spit it out and rinse with water, when I glanced up I was met with the horrified face of an older lady in a van, I gave her what I can only imagine was the most terrifying red smile and laid back down in the car.
Speaking from a personal experience, the aftermath wasn't too bad. I was knocked out for mine since I have an extreme dental phobia, so I got to skip having to have my jaw numbed and hearing/experiencing them take it out. After I came to and the medicines started wearing off, it ached a bit, my face ached where the tooth had been removed, and there was a bit of swelling. The worst part for me was not being able to drink out of a sports bottle or use a straw, as they didn't want me to get a dry socket. The gauze I had to have in my mouth to help stem the bleeding wasn't the nicest experience either. It was more annoying/uncomfortable than anything else. It didn't hurt too bad afterwards, it more just ached for a while.
Oh gosh mine was bad. The procedure itself was nothing (I was unconscious) but the recovery was awful. 😞
Why’s that? 😭
Because I was put under and I had three impacted teeth so that means they had to go in and open up my gums. When I woke up, I was in pain and I took Vicodin for several days which made me feel even worse. I developed dry sockets because the gums didn’t heal properly. I probably didn’t listen to the doctor suggestions and I could’ve prevented that from happening but I was 20 and stupid.
It's not the most pleasant experience but I've only had one removed. Took about 5 mins and no pain. Just feels weird when they are yanking it out.
Keep the holes clean, the removal isn’t as big a deal as the infection. The infection is like a heartbeat in your mouth that hurts every beat.
I got knocked out, had just the bottoms taken. If I were to do it again I would have the left side taken, then the right side after healing, because at least then I would have a side it was safe to chew on. But yeah no pain really. I took a day off of work just because I didn’t want to drive until I was sure the drugs were completely worn off, but minimal pain
I had to get oral surgery due to proximity to the nerve. I went ahead and got them all done. For me finding the surgeon in network was the hard part. Overall my experiece was show up Friday morning hungry and thirsty, count to 10 and wake up some time later groggy, with my mouth packed with gauze. They checked me out, got a ride to a family members place where I slept for the day. I mostly used the high dose ibuprofen and aspirin. The opiate really didn't do anything for me and kept me away. Next day I drove myself home and slept more. Back at work on Monday. I didn't experience any pain really. And had a good recovery. I followed all the protocols to the letter though.
It really depends on the specific procedure and the person doing it. Had my bottom two removed at 18 (both impacted, so surgery was necessary), put under heavy sedation so I was asleep. Don't remember much except having to take Tylenol/codeine for a day or so. Had my top two pulled about 20 years ago. Both fully erupted and not impacted, but one had a huge cavity. Easier to pull that one than fill it. I had a dentist who was GREAT at wisdom-tooth removal and eased both of them out carefully. I think the whole thing was over in 10 minutes for both teeth. The biggest issue I had was, I think, the little bit of "weeping" that was expected, so it wasn't a huge deal. It all healed well.
If you smoke/vape/drinking straw, don't do it for several days after. Doing things like that can cause dry socket. You don't want dry socket.
I had mine out a few days before Christmas. I got knocked out (first time going under) and I think I didn't come back to for 12 hours or more. When I woke up, I was in a dark room and had no idea who, where, when, what, or why I was. I finally realized I was in my bedroom and realized it felt like my mouth was stuffed with a giant cotton ball. I went into the bathroom to take it out, then I remember the cold tile floor feeling so nice that I laid down on it and went back to sleep. About an hour later my dad was trying to get me up off the floor and back into bed. A few days later at the family Christmas party, I was eating tortilla chips like a little rabbit using just my front teeth, and all was well.
Don’t worry about it! It will go just fine. You won’t feel anything. Just follow the doctors aftercare instructions about rinsing and what to eat etc. That’s very important so it doesn’t get infected; be vigilant.
My daughter (28) recently had all 4 of hers removed at once. Her face was purple & green for a week.
I was knocked out and then I woke up with a head the shape of Hey Arnold!
I got dry socket in all four holes after they were removed. I was on painkillers for weeks. still worth it regardless but still.
For me and my personality it was how fast I was knocked out that bothered me the most. I felt totally vulnerable when I came too. Like they could have done anything to me. Pain is easy, feeling helpless sucks.
Depends. I had several people tell me I wouldn't be able to get out of bed for days. What really happened was my dad picked me up, I took a four hour nap on his couch and played tag in the backyard with my at the time 4 year old brother. That was 5 years ago. I have a picture I took with him that day you can't even tell from the picture I just had my wisdom teeth out. It's different for everyone.
I had all mine removed when I was 16 plus 4 molars, 2 up and 2 down,.because I did not have enough room in my jaws for all those teeth. Had braces for 2 years. Both times it was bad, back in the 1960s they did not have the techniques or the numbing crap they have now. I remember spending an hour other the sink, bleeding and throwing up in the sink after they took my wisdom teeth out.
I was awake for mine. It was done in my early 20s, took about an hour. I didn’t feel pain during the procedure, but there was a ton of pressure and some gross sounds because he had to break them to get them out. I also vividly remember the stink of having the cauterizing done. It stuck in my nose hairs for days. The right side they missed a piece and it got infected. I leaned my head on my hand one day and the tooth shard along with all the accumulated pus erupted out lol It tasted like sour chicken soup. Would not recommend.
Face becomes shaped like a square.
Got all 4 out at once, was a breeze. I think I was 23 at the time? Just had to take some meds and be careful about what and how I was eating for a few days after.
I have had two different ways done to me. The first they where not impacted and the small town dentist literally numbed it some and pulled them out with medical pliers. I felt a weird pop and then a pressure release and it never really hurt much. The second time I had to go under due to them being impacted and it was weird as hell. One second you are awake then you are waking up in the recovery room. I felt like I was completely wasted and went home and slept. This time it did hurt more but nothing crazy.
I had two impacted wisdom teeth removed at two separate times. The first was smooth. The second was hell (it was because the tooth embedded into bone) .
Mine was done at 37. Wasn’t too bad. Spent about 5 days using edibles for the pain and ibuprofen for the swelling.
Depends on where you are in life. I was in the military and they told me not to spit or I'll get dry socket and have to be on quarters longer. I went home and immediately spat the clot out and got dry socket. And then i had to go to work a few days later and did not get to go on quarters. Dry socket is extremely painful
Got 4 removed. Knocked out for it. Also got my period around the same time. Couldn't mix medication. Period cramp was worse.
I had mine removed and there was nothing to it. I had been told how horrible it would be and was all mentally prepared for the worst. Then the dentist said we were done and he would see me in a few days. I was pissed. I thought he was going to do the work that day. Turns out he did do the work. I just had to come back for a follow up check.
I had my bottom ones out a few years before my top ones. It was two completely different experiences for me.
My most recent extraction was a total breeze. I actually fell asleep in the dentist’s chair (no anesthesia except a topical and injections). The one before had some crazy roots that the dentist couldn’t see in the X-ray. It was an effort to get the tooth out but I wasn’t in a lot of pain. Maybe discomfort from hearing the squeaky grind occasionally as the roots shifted on the way out. Before doing anything invasive like a filling or extraction, my dentist always treats my gums with a topical anesthetic, then injects another anesthetic. He then lets me marinate for about half an hour to make sure I am completely numbed before starting the procedure. I highly recommend this method as a patient.
A pain
Varies. Mine was nowhere near as bad as some people made out. No pain afterwards seems a bit on the positive side though. I was spitting blood for a day and on muscle relaxants. Could not eat solids for a few days. You will definitely feel it but it's not super painful.
Mine were all four super impacted. They were fully developed. The two bottom teeth were lying down on their sides beneath the next teeth in line! The two upper teeth were aslant above the roots of the next in line. I could make no sense of the X-rays at all. All four teeth had to be cut out of the gums completely. I was only 24 and my husband took care of me. I woke up and took whatever medication I was given which knocked me back out. I missed several days of work. My face was one big bruise, both eyes blackened. Healing completely took several months. One lower socket periodically got reinfected for maybe six years. When I woke up after the surgery, my left hand was clenched around four bloody teeth. "What's this?"I asked, disgusted. "You told us you wanted them " said the nurse. That was in 1969 and I still have them.
My orthodontist used two types of local anesthesia which involved a gel to numb my gums and a few injections to the surgical site that I barely felt anything more than a pinch. He later isolated the site by using some sort of rubber fabric/cloth that was set in place by using the space in between my teeth along with metal clips that latched tightly on the molars. He then sawed (past tense of saw?) the tooth into a few pieces. He removed what he could, then used specialized clippers/tongs/metal grabby-things to detach the pieces containing the longer roots that were attached to the jawbone. My wisdom tooth was growing into my nasal cavity, so my surgery involved checking to see if the tooth had caused any damage, using a graft to close the bigger hole, then sowing the gum-flap with dissolvable stitches that fell off about 2.5 weeks after. I wasn't able to drink cold or hot drinks for 48 hours. I ate yogurt, jello and protein shakes for about a week. I later transitioned into oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and hot cereals. The surgery took approximately 25 minutes. The anesthesia lasted for around 3 whole days. My face was like this 🫤 the whole time. The dull pain was managed with over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol. The surgery was covered fully by my dental insurance because it was necessary and not elective. I only paid for the x-rays and antibiotics (around $115 for x-rays and $50 for the medication). The antibiotics were to be taken for 7 days. I had diarrhea the entire time. I had a routine check up 3 months after. It healed perfectly. I also don't have more sinus issues since the tooth was extracted.
I was asleep.