Getting wisdom teeth removed, should I go under?

[AznAnarchy99]

I'm getting my two bottom teeth removed. They are impacted and out of the gum. I'm scared as hell about surgery and stuff like that. Going under costs $400 or I could do laughing gas for $150 or I can just get the normal numbing for free. Anyone with experience or stories?

 

[IronWing]

If there is no health reason that you might not be a good candidate for general anesthesia then I suggest that it be hella better.

 

[ManBearPig]

When I did it my doctor said he suggests it always, and especially for impacted teeth. It was another $300-400 iirc and my mom said she didn't want it because of the price and he cut the price in half for us. Ask him, it can't hurt.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Honestly the surgery isn't that bad. I had all 4 of mine taken out when I was awake, and all I felt was a lot of pressure.

Now the aftermath? That is tougher to deal with. I had lots of swelling, pain, etc. Ate nothing but water and yogurt for ~2 weeks.

 

[brianmanahan]

theres a slight risk going under

but its so worth it imho

 

[MedicBob]

Yes. I didn't the first one, did for the rest of them.

 

[brianmanahan]

the next 4 weeks of your life will suck regardless of whether or not you go under

but a year later you will defeinitely thank yourself

 

[Lifted]

I wouldn't want to risk general if I didn't need to. You won't feel it anyway. Even after it wasn't that bad for me, and that was all 4 at once, 2 fairly impacted.

 

[zerocool84]

I got them taken out when I was 17 and they put me under.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I got put under, all 4 were impacted, worst possible case scenario.

I had a double double the day after.

 

[Brovane]

Yes just go under. I had all 4 of my removed at once and it was great. I went to sleep and when I woke up they where all gone.

 

[eits]

i didn't go under for it. did just fine. it didn't even hurt after the novocaine wore off. i was scared for no reason.

 

[ussfletcher]

Whatever you do, don't pay that much for the gas. It doesn't help as much as that price would imply. My dentist always offered it for free, even with teeth cleanings (win).

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's not a big deal, get it frozen, they'll pull it out, you'll be out of there in under an hour. The pain only comes up after it starts to unfreeze, and it's really not that bad. My dentist had told me to suck on hard candy to help with the blood, so I was just raiding the peppermint jar at the reception desk at work. Not often a dentist tells you to eat candy.

 

[tcG]

From everything I've read, you won't actually have any pain during the operation, even if you do it awake. The issue with being awake isn't the pain, it's the idea of having your teeth pulled out.

I had 1 of mine done and they put me under. It was like going to sleep and then just waking up a few seconds later with the operation done.

 

[kyrax12]

i didn't go under for it. did just fine. it didn't even hurt after the novocaine wore off. i was scared for no reason.

Were you wisdom teeths impacted?

 

[esquared]

Not worth the risk, however small it make be.

I had a colleague, whose brother died from the anesthesia while undergoing a procedure in the dentists office.

A dentist may be trained/certified to use anesthesia in his office but I cannot compare that to an anesthesiologist that goes through med school/residency to learn that specialty.


edit:
I had two impacted wisdom teeth I had removed later in life. I just had the Novocaine and let the dentist remove them. Little bit of tugging and pulling but really not a big deal.

 

[tcG]

^ Kind of a ridiculous statement, IMO. If the risk IS very small, then yes, it can be worth the small risk.

When I had it done, the anesthesia was administered by an anesthesiologist.

EDIT: I agree with your general sentiment though. If you can psychologically deal with your teeth being pulled out, then don't get put under, both to eliminate the risk and save the money. There very likely isn't going to be much pain during the procedure either way.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I had all 4 pulled in the same session without going under. They gave me 10 shots of zylocaine, which consisted of 2 in each gum area plus 2 sticks in the roof of my mouth (the most painfull part of the process and it wasn't that bad). The weird part about being awake is the feeling of the teeth being ripped out of your mouth yet there is no pain. For one tooth that was particularly problematic the dentist actually had his knee in my chest trying to get leverage and a good grip on it. After it was over they stuffed my mouth full of cotton gauze and sent me back to class (was in Air Force tech school at the time). After I began spitting up blood in class the instructor let me leave and go back to the dorm. I slept for 14 hours, woke up, and everything was good. I was slamming shots at the bar that night.

The joys of being in the military. Good times.

 

[Baked]

I just asked them to give me one of those squeeze balls. No drugs, 3 wisdom teeth.

 

[datalink7]

I got all 4 teeth removed at once. Two were partially covered by gum. One he had to go in and saw apart so he could remove the pieces.

I didn't go under. Just got shots into the gum. I was a little nervous but it didn't end up being a big deal. Didn't even use the pain medication that they gave me and was back at work two days later.

 

[Slew Foot]

Wuss

 

[esquared]

^ Kind of a ridiculous statement, IMO. If the risk IS very small, then yes, it can be worth the small risk.

When I had it done, the anesthesia was administered by an anesthesiologist.

EDIT: I agree with your general sentiment though. If you can psychologically deal with your teeth being pulled out, then don't get put under, both to eliminate the risk and save the money. There very likely isn't going to be much pain during the procedure either way.

Not ridiculous if you can die from a simple procedure of pulling wisdom teeth.

Maybe you had a real anesthesiologist administer your local but that's not a requirement.

Dentists/oral surgeons are trained to administer locals but that doesn't make then full-fledged anesthesiologists.

http://www.aaoms.org/anesthesia_info.php

"During this time, OMS residents must complete a rotation on the medical anesthesiology service, during which they become competent in evaluating patients for anesthesia, delivering the anesthetic and monitoring post-anesthetic patients."

If I am going under, I want my anesthesiologist to be a little more than competent.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Anyone do laughing gas? Is it a good middle ground?

 

[Cyco]

I didn't go under but they gave me Xanax and a local. My wisdom teeth were pretty shallow, so YMMV. Granted the military paid for it all, so cost wan't an issue, but I had no problems.