Official "What was I thinking when I agreed to this?!" Thread

[New Mexican Disaster]

I was put under and I sang Smoke on the Water over and over during the operation. I also kept telling them the same joke, which was "How much does it cost a pirate to get his ear pierced? A buck an ear."

Good times. Every time I have been put under I have done some stupid shit.

[woot]

I just had a local anesthetic when I got all 4 pulled when I was 15. Other than not having enough anesthetic at the beginning (Me: Ow! Him: Oh), some really aggressive knee-in-the-chest prying accompanied by some unpleasant crunching noises, and a lot more bleeding afterward than normal, it went fine.

[SuperGabers]

Tim. See if your dentist has any laughing gas. It might help take the edge off. They use laughing gas in England when women deliver babies. Just a thought.

Good luck!

[Portland Ute]

Going under is always the right call with wisdom teeth. My brother didn't go under and he still regrets it to this day.

If they are fully erupted as Tim suggests, then this is simply not true. They are no different than any other simple extraction at that point.

Numb, wiggle, wiggle, forceps....out.

Not all "wisdom teeth" procedures are created equal.

[Portland Ute]

My dad's dentist had his knee in his chest to get one of his wisdom teeth out.

I've heard this story so many times and I simply don't believe it.

[Portland Ute]

I had all four of mine pulled without going under. They didn't even use enough novacaine on the last one do I felt it. Went and hiked Y mountain later that night with a group and met my wife.

It's not a big deal if your teeth are all in (mine were). I ate steak within two days.

WTF didn't they use anesthetic on the last one?????

[Portland Ute]

Tim,

You might ask if your dentist offers oral sedatives.

Taking a good dose of one of the benzodiazapene (think Valium, Halcion, Versed) prior to the procedure can greatly reduce anxiety and, in some cases, can produce an amnesia-like effect while you are "under the influence."

I remove a good number of wisdom teeth. Most patients are like you and don't want to spend $1000 bucks for general anesthetic or deep IV sedation.

So, I will generally combine nitrous (laughing gas) with a drug like Halcion to provide a nice amount of conscious sedation and decreased anxiety.

Talk to you dentist and see what she/he has to say.

[USUC]

I wasn't put under. It wasn't terrible but I would echo others and say the crunching noises and the yanking on my jaw wasn't too pleasant. I agree with SRN, the worst part was those holes left over and all the crap constantly getting stuck in there. I couldn't clean them out with just my tongue.

[falafel]

I wasn't put under. It wasn't terrible but I would echo others and say the crunching noises and the yanking on my jaw wasn't too pleasant. I agree with SRN, the worst part was those holes left over and all the crap constantly getting stuck in there. I couldn't clean them out with just my tongue.

I got a tick-tack stuck in the socket. It was the perfect size. Very difficult to get out.

[Tim]

Papi's on hydrocodone!

[Pheidippides]

WTF didn't they use anesthetic on the last one?????

They asked if I could feel anything. I could - it was definitely partially numb but not all the way - but I was tired of people yanking crap out of my mouth so I just lied about it. My own fault.

[wuapinmon]

Papi's on hydrocodone!

No, I'm not.

[Tim]

Follow-up:

It's been 18 hours. Three of the four teeth came right out, one of them they had to cut a couple times to get it to free up. Overall it was really easy, and the sounds were nowhere near as bad I expected. It was a positive experience.

Since they didn't have to cut me at all, I'm doing really well. There's no swelling, the bleeding has stopped, and I'm feeling fine. I'm sure the hydrocodone is helping, but I think even by tonight I'll be ready to get out of the house and go do something.

[happyone]

I had mine out when I was in the army ([I was about 26 or so) Our company had post guard and since half of it was at Ft. Irwin, I had officer of the guard that night and couldn't get out of it. After the dentist was done, I went back to work - it was a really, really long night