Wisdom Teeth Removal

[trip]

We usually use frozen bags of peas instead of ice packs. They hug your face nicely - they are not ridge like ice packs.

 

[pjm-guy]

Not to make the OP worried, but has anyone addressed the possible issue of Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN) or Lingual Nerve damage? I am now 41, and had my wisdom teeth removed when I was 29. The lower wisdom teeth have the possibility of being intertwined with the IAN, as my lower left did (my lower right never grew in thankfully). Becacuse the tooth root was wrapped around the nerve, the nerve was damaged during the removal. My wife told me that the oral surgeon called our home pretty much every 2 hours through the weekend to ask how I was feeling because they were very nervous aboutt he nerve injury.

Now 12+ years later, I am still dealing with numbnes & pain in the lip, face & gum areas. I also have a numb left ear because about 8 years ago they tried a nerve graft to try to get the nerve to grow again, after (2) other decompression surgeries, all to no avail. Again, not trying to make you worried, but to put it out there that unless the wisdom teeth absolutelty have to be removed, I'd suggest you leave them right where they are. And ask for a second opinion about the placement of the tooth roots as shown on a panoramic x-ray just in case.

I'd hate for anyone to live what I've had to deal with for the last 12 years. Just look up the "Oral Nerve Injury" forum if you want to read more about it (http://www.sciential.net/lingualnerveinjury.htm).......

Either way - I hope for a speedy and full recovery from any issues you might have post-op!!!!

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed last August - they were all impacted and giving me headaches. I had them taken out on the monday, and went back to work on the saturday, although I still had some swelling and my friends at work teased me that I still looked a little like a chipmunk!

I took codine right away and got REALLY sick - that was pretty painful!!! After that, I stuck to Tylenol. I didn't feel like eating for two days but after that I had things like chocolate pudding, mac and cheee and mashed potatoes. It actually took me a couple of weeks to really get used to eating normally.

I wanted to comment on the nerve thing - it's been nearly a year since I had my teeth out, and I still have a numbness in my lower lip and chin. It's a little area, the size of maybe a quarter, but it's still there. I literally can't feel anything - when I touch the area, it feels like it did when it was numb for the surgery. It's something I was warned about before the surgery, but they said it was VERY rare - think I just got unlucky! I don't know anyone else who has had this problem - my dentist told me the nerve probably got nicked, and in time it may heal, but probably not. It's not a huge deal, but it bothers me sometimes.

 

[Wonders10]

OP, I see you have a lot of responses but I still wanted to offer my experience.

I only had 2, on the bottom - very impacted. I was put under deep sedation and after the iv and medicine went in, I literally remember nothing until I woke up and started asking about my ipod which I had been clutching in my had the entire time and on the way out, asking my mom how much it cost. I was planning on charging it myself and she had done it on her card and I was freaking out a bit about it. I was 27 at the time when I had them out.

I do not remember much pain at all after the sx. It was a little uncomfortable and "stiff", but not painful like a toothache. I only took the prescribed pain pills for about 3 days and then a day or so at night only so i could sleep. I also did mine on a friday afternoon, and gave myself saturday-monday to recover and i found that to be adequate for me. i actually felt good physically but the pain pills wiped me out so I rested a lot.

I was given pain pills thumbsup2) and a rinse that I was to use in the morning and at night to keep my mouth clean and stuff as well as a couple reusable ice packs. The 2nd and 3rd days were my worse for swelling although it still wasn't all that bad. Didn't read this tip yet, but I only got through the first page - no rice! They can get stuck in the holes. Not good. I stuck with gatorade, slim fast shakes (I actually like them), ice cream, pudding, jello, mashed potatoes and mac-n-cheese, bananas. After a couple days I had a scrambled egg and it was sooooo good. Within a full week I was eating normally again, but still being cautious because I'm just like that with teeth-issues.

I didn't have any reaction to the anesthesia thank goodness but I would imagine throwing up with fresh stitches in your mouth wouldn't be so fun - so definitely mention that to the doc. He may use something else or offer something to keep the nausea at bay. Good luck!

 

[Bearvet]

Well, we're home - the surgery was at 10:15 AM and took about 50 min. I REALLY appreciate everyone's advice here. For future reference I'd add to have some extra sterile gauze squares at home - fold them up and keep in place to keep the bleeding down.

We told the nurse about the nausea and they added something to the IV for that. I'm happy to report that 9 hours later - no vomitting!

The pharmacy wouldn't fill the prescription (percoset) without the hard copy, so I had to go get it after we left the Drs office. There was a drive-thru so I didn't have to leave DS in the car.

He was hungry right away, so we've been doing the milkshakes, yogurt, pudding, etc. The one mistake we made was waiting too long to give the first pain med - the nurse said to wait until he stopped feeling numb, but I wish we had done it right away when we got home. He was in terrible pain for about an hour - I felt awful! Now we're alternating pain meds with ibuprofin and it seems to be keeping the pain at bay. We'll reassess about the pain meds tomorrow.

DS was starving (remember - football player) so I just made him some super-soft mac and cheese. I hope we're not overdoing it too soon, but he promised to swallow without chewing much.

So, we'll see how the night goes. All numbness has disappeared so hoping that means no nerve damage (they did warn us about that possibility). BTW DS just told me he loved the laughing gas and got the giggles. He kept picturing that scene in the Pink Panther movie (with Peter Sellers).

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I'm glad things went so well for him.

I had mine out at age 20 while in college. All 4 were impacted. My roommate helped me out some but I basically took care of myself. I didn't have much swelling.

I was the final exam for 2 dental students. They were great and called to check on me often.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

For future reference I'd add to have some extra sterile gauze squares at home - fold them up and keep in place to keep the bleeding down.


The one mistake we made was waiting too long to give the first pain med - the nurse said to wait until he stopped feeling numb, but I wish we had done it right away when we got home. He was in terrible pain for about an hour

They sent both my kids home with a packet of the squares. Good point to remember as I imagine many surgeons don't do this! It does really help and provided some comfort too.

They made sure we knew to take the pain med as SOON as we got home, with some applesauce or a shake, before the numbness wore off. We did this with both kids. I wonder why they told you to wait? That is odd.

Glad it went well!

 

[Gigi22]

I was lucky in the impacted tooth dept. Mine impacted at different times, about a year apart. I went in one year over the Christmas break at university and had the two lowers out--and several months later had the two uppers out. The oral surgeon was able to do all extractions in his office, with just injections for pain. Even impacted, my tooth roots were quite straight, not tangled up. I remember thinking that the instrument my oral surgeon used worked a lot like a bottle opener. After the surgery, I had a three day prescription for pain--Tylenol 3s. What really nearly did me in was having my lower wisdoms out when I was run down, and actually in the process of getting mono. Then strep throat. The two combined had me quite ill for a couple of months. So, make sure you are in pretty good shape when you have the extractions done!

 

[mr.alec]

I had all 4 of mine yanked out when i was 21 in the military..They make you remove them whether they need to be or not. (it IS healthier NOT to have your wisdom teeth) anyways, it hurt the first day but then...it was fine.
They had to cut mine out, they hadnt broken the skin yet.
3 days later.....i had to be back on full duty. No issues.
Just have him take a tylenol....not motrin (it will cause more bleeding).

 

[BrcsDisneyPrncs]

OP - i hope everything is smooth sailing!

I had mine out last March (i was 24) all were impacted and one of them had the roots curving up i guess - it was a really traumatic surgery - I was completely under anesthesia. I reacted really badly (screaming, crying and then hyperventilating when I woke up, I asked for them to go get my husband and when he came back I started crying because I didn't know who he was..... that only lasted about five minutes). I then hyperventilated and started choking on gauze right when we pulled out of the parking lot and my husband had to turn back around to have my gums repacked.

Since the extraction (mostly on one side) was so traumatic I was on the vicodin/ibuprofen cycle for almost a full week. I was in a haze, didn't eat much, and lost 12 lbs. Still a year later if i step down too hard i get a mild shooting pain from the extraction site.

However, when people here of my experience with it i get kind of a dumbfounded look - i guess my teeth were just "special"

Best of luck - the few times i would eat the most soothing were slightly warm spaghettios (gross, i know), mashed potatos and chicken broth with overcooked gummy rice (got sick of sweet stuff).

Best of luck!