Wisdom Teeth...

[KyleT]

I was just curious what everyone's experiences have been with getting their wisdom teeth out. I'm getting my teeth out on Thursday and would like to know what to expect.

How long should it take for me to fully recover. Enough that i can do intense physical activity?

Kyle

[Wö£fëñxXx]

My wife had it done about a year ago, took her around a week to get back in full swing of things.

[John P.]

Recovery time depends on your age--the younger you are the more quickly you'll heal. I had mine done when I was 21 or so. Very glad to have them out of there.

[GDominy]

Well... I had 5 wisdon teeth... well, 4 and 1 freak one that spawned out of one of the bottom teeth. It took me about a week and a half.. for the first few days I was sick as hell and didn't get out of bed.

I reacted badly to the Anesthetic though, and I have a bleeding disorder so things were a bit more complicated for me...

[Scissors]

Anesthesia will hopefully keep the pain away until it heals. Doctors say that on average it takes two weeks to heal and if you're on pain-killers, you'll be too groggy to do intense physical activity. If you don't take it, your teeth will hurt like there's no tommorow. Just don't drive like I did on the pain-killers. Ended up on the wrong side of a one-way street for a couple blocks.

[scolley]

Personal experience - if you have any one of the wisdom teeth that is impacted (infected gum), make CERTAIN that it is completely healed with antibiotics prior to extraction. I found out, much too late, that pain killers often do not work at all on infected tissue. Three teeth out, with pain killers to help you out, no big deal. One tooth out that conventional pain killers don't work on - very bad mistake. For about 12 really long hours anyway.

[Urkevitz]

Fender how many wisdom teeth are you getting pulled? I had 2 pulled on separate days and they didn't hurt a bit. All the dentist did was give me 2-3 shots of novacaine and then she yanked tooth out with no pain at all. I hadn't been to the dentist in years, so this year I had 4 teeth pulled and 8 teeth filled. Personally I found extractions to be less painful than the fillings and one of the teeth pulled was infected and painful.

[GDominy]

heh heh... yeah.. that was my first encounter with Morphine.... Mmmmmmm... Morphine....

[Buck]

It dont hurt all that much Kyle... it will be nothin like that eye !

The worst part for me was the nasty taste in the mouth for a week and a half while the caverns healed...it ruined the flavor of my beer

[Vinlo]

Easy as pie. I got all four removed when I was 18 or so I think. Worst thing was waking up to them pounding on my jaw, luckily I was just awake and could not feel pain, just my jaw moving around.

I got some tasty demerol, it made all pain go away.

Pain in the ass getting food out of the sockets though - no popcorn.

[Momotaro]

It dont hurt all that much Kyle... it will be nothin like that eye !

Or that nose that got walloped!

I had to have one come out a couple of days before Christmas a few years ago. I was pretty wiped out, and really not into eating, but I survived. I have a really funny and strange story to go along with my procedure, but it is too long to type out. Suffice to say despite my previous bosses wishes, I was not able to make it to work for evening hours the day of my oral surgery!

Two bits of advice. One..follow the doctors orders about rinsing your mouth. Be gentle and try not to disturb the clotting in the tooth sockets. "Dry socket" hurts...bad! Two...if they give you painkillers, TAKE THEM. When you come out of the oral surgeons and your still not feeling the effects of the surgery, take the painkillers anyway. Once the pain gets a hold of you, it is hard to shake. Take the pain medication for at least the first day or so to ward off the aches, then do as you see fit.

Throughout the whole thing, if it is at all possible, try to eat something. Scrambled eggs, pastina, something soft (as long as the doctor says it is OK, that is). I found not being able to eat made me feel weak and didn't help my feeling better.

Mike

[sn8k]

As most have indicated, as long as they're not impacted - you shouldn't be in too bad shape after the proceedure. Just remember no aspirin the day of the surgery, and none afterward for a few days (thins the blood). Also, REALLY pay attention to your dentists instructions for preventing dry socket (now that's all bad bro ).

Trying to eat for the next few days can be a royal pain in the backside... so I lived off smoothies (Jamba Juice), ice cream, and protein drinks (no straws allowed ). Getting food particles in there can be painful - so the less regular foods you eat for the first week the better off you'll be.

Best of luck - and take care of yourself buddy

PS: Now you've done it... I have a burning desire for a smoothie
Jamba Juice here I come

[^iMp^]

I was "out of commission" the day of and the day after (had 4 taken out when I was 18, not compacted). I couldn't eat anything but jello for about a week, but other than that it was no big deal. Oh, and I recommend not to take the crazy pain medication they give you. If you're anything like me, it'll make you more miserable because you can't think clearly when you're on the stuff.

On the other hand, my sister was MUCH worse. She barely woke up at all the first day and remained heavily drugged three days after (from taking the crazy medication they gave us).

^iMp^

[Inzeos]

I had mine out in August and they were not infected, however they were impacted. The first few days after the surgery were fine because you still retain the anti inflamatory they give you if you are having them surgically extracted. After that it wears off and starts to become uncomfortable.

I highly suggest having several bags of frozen pees available and to keep them on your cheek areas for 45 minutes out of each hour while you are awake.

Make sure you also have liquid foods available, meal a day drinks etc.

Saline rinses consistantly and constantly.

I had no after affects and had healed much more rapidly than they expected!

[questnjurny]

I had mine out when I was 18 or 19, somewhere in there. The worst part of the whole experience was having to throw up on the way home, apparently my tummy didn't take to well to the valium they pumped into me. (but it felt oh so neat when they started the iv!) I had all four out, in a orthodontist's office and wasn't right under (as you would be in the hospital) but I don't remember anything abotu the actual extractions. Other than the fact that I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to get most food in for about two weeks, I had no pain, didn't need any of my painkillers and was out with friends the night of surgery. Stay away from any food with small bits that can get stuck in the sockets, like strawberries (seeds). I guess it depends on each person how they deal with it, and what pain they have. The most annoying part was the little ends of the sutures that you can just barely feel with your tongue, and then when they dissolve you end up with a knot floating around in your mouth that you have to fish out.

Good luck, hopefully it won't be too bad for you!