Upcoming wisdom tooth extraction:(

Ugh, I just made the appointment to get all 4 of my impacted wisdom teeth pulled:( May 25 will be the "big day". I'm not afraid of the surgery or of the sedation (IV cocktail) but I AM a little worried about getting dry socket. My being on hormonal birth control puts my chances of getting it up to like 33-40%. With my luck I'll get it in all 4 holes:eek: Anywho, I'm going to call the oral surgeon tommorow to see if I can manipulate my OrtoEvra a little bit so that I will be in the first part of my *ahem* cycle for the surgery (less chance of dry socket because of lower estrogen levels or something like that). Sooooo what were your experiences with wisdom teeth extractions? My doctor said that the upper left one will be a snap to pull out because it is already partially erupted, however, he says that he will most likely have to break the other three into pieces to avoid damaging my neighboring teeth:( Do you think he'd let me keep the upper left one? Assuming that he doesn't have to break it of course:) In a wierd way I'm kind of excited:rolleyes: I know that I'll get lots of attention from all of my friends as well as getting some nice strong pain killers to make me "happy" for a few days. I also can't wait to be able to eat ice cream for breakfast without my hubby poking fun at me:D :D

I did get dry sockets when I had all 4 of mine out back in 1998. However, the dry sockets only happened to the bottom teeth. Apparently according to my oral surgeon, it's not common for the upper holes to get dry sockets. But man, did it ever hurt!

Just follow his instructions, make sure not to create any sort of suction for the first few days....like smoking or drinking through straws, etc. (I unfortunately smoked before I was supposed to). That's a big part of making sure dry sockets won't happen.

If you do get dry sockets, they will have to put packing in the holes to protect the sockets. They feel much better after that's in. The packing gets changed every couple of days. If it's possible, ask them to dip the packing in clove oil before they put it in. My oral surgeon's assistant told me that clove oil has a numbing effect when you apply it to dry sockets...it just kinda sucks that everything after that has a clove taste to it....In my case, clove mashed potatoes, clove chocolate pudding, clove macaroni and cheese...yucky flavor, but I wouldn't have traded that numbing of my sore gums for anything.

Good luck!

Are you a smoker? I hear that ups the chances of getting dry sockets if you smoke after getting your teeth out. I was worried about getting that too, but I didn't thankfully lol just make sure you do all the stuff they tell you XD

:eek: Thats my birthday lol Anyway good luck, hope all goes well ;) I have to go to the dentist today:(

Is the risk of dry sockets greater when the wounds have not been stitched closed??? I had two impacted Wisdom Teeth removed just before Chrsitmas 2002, and my dental surgeon sutured the wounds closed. I was out of hospital and out Christmas shopping the same day, and eating normally by the next day. (Not sure if I was just lucky, or have a high pain thresh-hold??? - the Doc DID seem surprised that I bounced back so quickly, but other than the stitches tickling I had no real problems. (The dentist actually closed for Christmas and I took the stitches out myself 5 days later)!!!

Is there a connection between getting the wound stitched and the prevention of dry sockets - all the info I have read seems to indicate it is a gaping/open wound, so I would have thought this could possibly be avoided by stitching the wounds closed after the extraction?

Best of luck and (((HUGS)) to you - hope your experience will be as smooth and painless as mine!

If you're like me, you'll be nervous from now until it's over with. Good luck! I've had to have a few dentist things done and have taken a pill called Halcyon. It's wonderful! The last time though, they didn't wait for the pill to take effect. So, I was nervous all through it and then afterwards, it started to work. I had lunch with my mom and then couldn't even remember it later. She had to tell me what I ate :) It's good stuff.

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Originally posted by dukedogsmom
If you're like me, you'll be nervous from now until it's over with.

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Or if you're like me, you could be nervous 5 YEARS before you ever know you're gonna need them out.......:rolleyes:

I want to wish you the best of luck. :) :)
The part that would bother me the most would be having all four pulled at once. Maybe you prefer it that way.
I had no trouble, but mine were not pulled at once.

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Originally posted by Felicia's Mom
I want to wish you the best of luck. :) :)
The part that would bother me the most would be having all four pulled at once. Maybe you prefer it that way.
I had no trouble, but mine were not pulled at once.

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yeah, I've been told that it's less stressful to the body (and just plain more convenient) to get all four pulled at once. Kind of along the same lines as getting a pet's teeth cleaned and then also spayed all on the same day to prevent having to put them under more than absolutely necessary? Did you have them done by a general dentist or by an oral surgeon? I've heard that oral surgeons are more likely to yank them all at once. I think it has something to do with their offices being more hospital like so the anaesthetic is easier to administer and control. I dunno, I'm getting mine done at the hospital, I don't know if it really matters to get them all done at once. Thanks for all of your comments:) It's so great how much support you can get here on PT:) :):)

by the way, No I don't smoke. My only thing that raises my chances of getting dry socket is the extra estrogen that I get from my birth control.

I had mine pulled a couple years ago. I had it done by an oral surgeon, but in the hospital. I had all 4 done at once, and I would not have done it any other way. After about a week, it's ALL done.. no having to worry about going back in or anything. Once they are out - they are out!

I did have a lot of pain, though. Not related to dry socket (I didn't get that) but I was just.. sore. I basically took pain killers, ate, slept for four hours, took more pills, ate, slept for four hours, etc. After a bit though I had the holes packed as well.. it's just standard with the surgeon. The clove/eucalyptus is GROSS.. when I had it done the first time I was actually nauseous, but I explained that to him and he soaked up a bit of the oil, and it was much better.

I hope it goes smoothly!

I had all four done at once by an oral surgeon. My teeth hadn't even started to come in, but there was literally no room for them, and they were angled between 45 and 90 degrees off of what they should have been. My orthodontist told me "Get 'em out now, or risk having to do braces all over again, there's no room in your jaw!"

They knocked me out for the procedure. No dry sockets, and my face didn't even puff out (much to my big sister's consternation - she looked like a chipmonk for several days). I didn't even need painkillers by the next day, but did follow doctor's orders. Both older siblings had already had it done years before me, so everyone knew the rules, and didn't let me cheat one bit. My gums ached a little for a day or so, but it wasn't bad at all.

i had all 4 of my wisdom teeth CUT OUT not pulled.in march of this year it was ugh very painful.it took about 2 or three weeks to feel better just rest and drink milkshakes don't eat hard food till your doctor gives you the ok or you think its ok.i had to wait 3 weeeks after my follow up to eat pizza and chips,all i can say is it was the most painful sugery i ever had i'm not trying to scare you but be prepared to be in pain but the pain killers they gave me worked like a charm so it won't be too bad once you get painnkillers .good luck w/ your surgery.let us know how it goes.

i thinnk the sugery took about 35 min then recovery took 2hrs.good luck w/ yyour surgery:) oh yeah my face looked like a chipmunk for a few days.but i kept ice on it and it went away quick.

marylyn