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Well I've just been to the dentist and he thinks I should get my upper left wisdom tooth out right away (he eventually wants to get rid of them all). He said its so far back that I cant brush it properly and it is starting to get a cavity. He wants to take it out rather than filling it and risking any damage to the adjacent tooth. I really don't want to get it out. I got one out last year and it was horrible. What are your opinions. ?
I've had three of mine out in the chair (the fourth hasn't erupted yet) I had the two on my left first and the lower right about a year later. Mine were also starting to decay. Because it wasn't too far gone, it came out without breaking. I know if it is too decayed it can make extraction difficult.
My dentist is awesome and got all teeth out in under 2 mins per tooth! I found I needed a panadiene/neurofen combo for pain for a few days and was then fine. I know I'm pleased they are out!
I would get it out. I've had all bar one of mine taken out over the years for the same problem. I'm holding off on the last one because the last time I had one out, it was really sore for weeks after and I just don't have time to deal with that again right now. But it has to come out - I get problems with it every now and then because there is no tooth underneath it, the wisdom tooth is starting to come down further, which means that sometimes I get it touching the gum where the other tooth used to be below it and it gets swollen and sore. So your options are to leave it and risk further decay problems that may affect the tooth next to it, have it pulled out in the chair with only a local, OR you can have all of them done at once under a general and be done with it.
I would get it out. Dp had terrible trouble with his decaying and making him sick. He ended up having to get them all out in hospital under general and that was a very expensive exercise!
It can be horrible getting wisdom teeth removed- I had a slow recovery with mine- but most wisdom teeth, especially if they're buried or sideways or impacted in some other way then it is highly likely they will cause you more grief in than out in the future. The pain of infected, impacted WT is the worst!
Can you tell us more about what was horrible the last time? I've had mine out, two of them slid out easily & too were complicated extractions. Depending on what happened last time, there may be other ways to proceed that could make another extraction a completely different experience
I actually have 5 wisdom teeth....it's apparently not that uncommon! The top 3(!) are all growing sideways and I was told when they first came through that we'd have to monitor them....that was nearly 20 years ago and apart from some discolouration, they're all good! I'm very careful about cleaning them as I'd rather not go through the pain of getting them out. How are the rest of your teeth? Are you a good brusher? If not, prob best getting them out. DH has had infected/impacted teeth and a GA to get them out - wasn't pretty or cheap!
Well I am a bit of a woos. Last time just the pulling and cracking sounds where horrible. The bleeding lasted for a really long time, had to call 13 health in the middle of the night for advise. It ended up getting infected , I don't think it was full blown dry socket but they did clean it and pack it with some stuff. Had to have antibiotics twice. Hurt for a few weeks.
I do brush my teeth and care for them but it seems I am one to keep getting cavities. :-(
I had my upper left wisdom tooth removed earlier this year. By the time I'd got it removed it had broken down to not much there but a sliver. Even with very little tooth there the extraction didn't hurt. I had very little pain at all and kicked myself that I waited so long to have it removed. Apparently the lower ones hurt a lot more because they're part of the jawbone but the upper ones aren't.
Are there any dentists around that could do in chair sedation for you? I had the option of a 'green whistle' but didn't need it at all.
I had all of mine out at once under GA in hospital because I was petrified of having one taken out. Is that an option for you?
I wish I could afford a GA! :-(
We're lucky we have PHI, but there was still the gaps, the antibiotics and the painkillers, plus the follow up appointments for DH. He could've had it done without the GA, but he's a woos too :) Plus the several days of his jaw locked shut and the couple of weeks recovery... I'm actually a bit worried as both times DH had broken a tooth while I was in hospital (once for a lap, once having DS). Bub #2 is due in less than 6 weeks - wondering if I should have the dentist on standby...
Maybe start saving for a GA and get as much done as you can while you're under...
I'm a huge woos (wooce wuss??) - anyway, I hate my own pain! I had a wisdom tooth removed in the chair with only local anaesthetic and it just pooped out without much fuss. The anticipation was far worse than the actual extraction. I knew all of this, having been a dental nurse for several years, but it's quite different when I'm the patient! Assisting with extractions used to be one of my favourite procedures! The vast majority of extractions are simple and straight forward, otherwise the patient is referred to an oral surgeon. Dry sockets are reasonably uncommon and easily treated - just make sure you see your dentist immediately if you expect you are developing a dry socket! Have it out. (Can I come and watch..??!!)
ETA JLeigh, I only have 3 wisdom teeth, perhaps you got my fourth one??
iPod to block the noise? It's not the extraction that scares me, it's the gigantic needle beforehand!
My wisdom teeth were badly impacted, on their side and starting to decay. They needed to be surgically removed (cut out and the gums stitched) and I didn't need a GA I had the twighlight anesthetic. So i was in the dentist chair and as good as knocked out but it is not as expensive as a GA/trip to the hospital and also not as bad after (GA is tough on the body).
Im about to go under next wednesday and get two removed that are pretty much decayed to peices. The other two are fine but I have to pay close attention to brushing them properly. I wanted them out in the chair but the surgeon said for everyones comfort going under GA would be easier, esp with the teeth being broken, he cant guarantee to get them out in once piece.
I had one wisdom tooth out in the chair a few months ago and asked for more numbing stuff and im a chicken for pain too i also found deep breaths and focusing on relaxing. And an ipod would help drown out the noise. Also rescue remidy too to keep you calm, right before they start. Next year i'll be getting my other three out under GA as two have not erupted but the top one is like yours and i cant brush around it.
Maybe dentists are more risk adverse now? I had mine out in about 2006-2007 I think and my teeth were giving me heaps of trouble as they were very infected. But despite their bad condition and having to cut them out i still had it done in the chair with twilight juice.