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Recommendations on getting my wisdom teeth removed
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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Statistically you're unlikely to have lasting issues as a result of getting them removed. It's a very common outpatient procedure.
When you go in, they'll likely give you nitrous oxide, which will make you relax a little, and they'll let you sit and breathe it for a few minutes. I'd recommend bringing headphones since some nice music will help.
Then they'll give you an IV that will make you not worry and likely barely remember what comes next. Basically a big dose of super valium.
Then they'll give you some pain killers and local anesthetic and remove the teeth.
Your memory and orientation will start to come back in about an hour, by which time hopefully the person who transported you has gotten you home. You will not be able to care for yourself during the intervening time. You will be uncoordinated and of poor judgement.
When you get home it's best to try to sleep until the meds that the dentist gave you wear off, or just watch TV. Take ibuprofen or Tylenol mostly, but an occasional opioid will help since there is some pain that the antiinflammatories don't help with as much, although they take care of most of it.
Soft foods for a few days, and no straws.
All in all, you should be back to normal within two weeks, and you'll get to feel nice and excited to eat something crunchy or chewy.
If you've had pain associated with your wisdom teeth, I'd recommend going forward as scheduled. The pain may have gone away temporarily, but it'll come back.
I let mine go too long, and one of the wisdom teeth cracked open because of pressure on it from another tooth, which also damaged that tooth which was fortunately able to be repaired.
The pain from waiting for outstripped the discomfort of the procedure.
I also had a cracked wisdom tooth and x-rays revealed that my mouth was too small (despite all advice received in childhood) to accommodate them. I had all four removed in one procedure, but received propophol due to my anxiety in clinical settings.
I apparently had a blast during the procedure, cracked up the dental surgeon by complaining about a neighbor, and had an interesting phonecall with my mother involving some bait and switch that I found hilarious at the time.
Recovery was uneventful, soups and gazpachos were great to keep fed and healing, and ibuprofen was only needed for a few days before the residual pain from the procedure was below threshold. It's far better to take care of these things before they progress further, as you said.