NWR: Wisdom Teeth

Heather822 · June 2010

I have been putting it off FOREVER but my dentist REALLY wants me to have them out. =(
I am so anxious & upset about this for so many reasons. For 1 thing, they are not infected or impacted, and never have caused me pain, so it just seems unnecessary.
Second of all, since they are not infected or impacted, my insurance will only pay for 90% of it, which sounds like a lot, but the oral surgeon quoted me over $3,000.00 for everything (including anesthesia.)
Also, the oral surgeon I know (casual family friend, more like an associate of my step~father who is a pharmacist) is by my parents in Montville and I live in North Brunswick....
AND with me getting married in August I don't want to take any risk of being swollen or puffy or bruised... even if I schedule it next week, I have heard horror stories about people who have to keep going back weeks after because of things like "dry sockets"...
Finally & most importantly ~ I AM TERRIFIED!!!! I am such a baby with all things dentistry. I have to put in my own bite wings for XRays because I panic and gag if anyone goes in my mouth like that.....
AHHHH!!!!! What to do......

Reilly626 · June 2010

I had no problem with it. I was knocked out and had 3 impacted, so they were broken out and removed... My FI just had 2 removed, actually pulled out and he didnt feel a thing. Its really easier than you think... Mine was covered by insurance, his was $200 a tooth.

HeatherC37 · June 2010

I wouldn't get them out until they need to be. Mine were impacted for years before they started getting infected. That is when I got them out.

I didnt have any issues with dry sockets and the swelling was gone in about 2 days. My only issue was that the surgeon nicked a nerve. The feeling in half of my tongue was completely gone for several months. Even now, almost 2 years later, I only have partial feeling. There is nothing I can do about it and they make you sign a liability form about it before they remove them. Its one of the many things that can go wrong so its not worth getting them removed until its absolutely necessary.

jrgoogrl · June 2010

OOOH Heather! I would say do it now and get it over with. I did all 4 in one shot! Mine were impacted. I was swollen for about a week because of them being impacted. But other then that I had no problems. You should be all healed up with no problems by the wedding. You have plenty of time. Have them totally knock you out, you won't feel a thing. And then your just really tired the rest of the day.

Don't worry, I have a very sensitive gag reflex....it's awful. But, I don't remember a thing.

Good luck!

misschristinec · June 2010

I was awake the whole time. I'm evolutionarily advanced since I only have 3 wisdom teeth and only 1 came to the surface.

No dry sockets here either. I went to an oral surgeon on Easton Avenue. in Somerset. He was wonderful...

Unless they are bothering you or you are prone to infection what's the problem with waiting until September?

mbcdefg · June 2010

I had all four of mine pulled when I was 21. Mine didn't hurt or anything, but I had braces as a teen and I was warned that the wisdom teeth could potentially push my teeth out of alignment and ruin years of orthodontic work.

I didn't opt for anesthesia, just some Novocaine to numb it up. They pulled two and had to crack the other two to get them out (they gave me the option to stop at two and then come back for the other two, but I told them to do it all in one shot and get it over with). The actual pulling didn't hurt, but the pressure that the doctor was putting on my teeth was what hurt. But if you're knocked out then this shouldn't be an issue for you.

I woke up pretty swollen the next day, but after about a week, week-and-a-half, I was back to normal. The major swelling went down within a few days but tenderness and chewing/eating was the main issue for the rest of the week. I had a lot of milkshakes, pudding, soup, etc., that week.

They gave me Percocet, which didn't help, but I'm a weirdo who doesn't react to a lot of medications so that could've just been me. Ice packs and hot washcloths helped.

I didn't have any issues with dry sockets or anything, but I don't smoke and I followed the doctor's cleaning/flushing instructions very closely. As far as cost, I was still on my parents' health insurance at the time so I don't know what the cost was out of pocket.

I'm inclined to say that you should be fine if you do it in the next week or two, but if you're that concerned can you just wait until after your wedding to do this?

uppereastgirl · June 2010

Mine weren't impacted, and never caused me any problem (except teething pain) so I didn't get them out. Basically the only reason for getting them out that was ever articulated to me was "they always end up causing problems" and that didn't seem compelling enough to me.

Then one day I woke up with EXCRUCIATING pain on the left side of my mouth. I called my dentist and he said to go straight to the oral surgeon. The oral surgeon examined me and determined that there was an infection and the wisdom teeth on that side needed to come out immediately. So I had the surgery. I was put in twilight sleep, and the pain afterwards was pretty minimal (particularly compared to the pain I was experiencing before). I was well enough to go out that night.

I wasn't a good girl though (I went out again the next night and drank, and I wasn't that careful about food), so I ended up with a dry socket. That was awful. So be careful.

And as is apparently common, 3 weeks later I developed an infection in the other side and had to have the wisdom teeth on that side taken out immediately. This can happen from chewing too much on one side when the other side is healing. That surgery went just as smoothly, and with no dry socket.

It definitely wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I really wouldn't dread it. Good luck!

Laurms15 · June 2010

Mine were ok but will 3 months make the difference?

Heather822 · June 2010

Thanks for all the responses.... nice to know I am not the only one whose had to endure this! LOL
Waiting til September does seem like a nice option.... maybe I'll do that.... although I still am not convinced I want to do it AT ALL!
One thing my dentist told me that did sway me towards extraction is that when women become pregnant, their hormones make their wisdom teeth shift and become impacted... and once your pregnant anesthesia is no longer an option!
Not that we are planning to procreate anytime soon, but it was something to think about...

kle0113 · June 2010

I only have the bottom two out and they were not impacted. I had no issue and all I had was novacane. I also had no issue with mine when they wanted them out other then the fact that they were so far in the back of my mouth that they were not getting the cleaning that they really needed and I developed a cavity in each one. The first one I left work early to have it pulled and was in work the next day and the second one I went to work right after it...I had no swelling at all.

Lola Minnie · June 2010

I don't understand why the dentist wants to remove it if they are not impacted?

I had all 4 removed at the same time. I wasn't swollen. I wasn't in any pain & didn't get prescribed any meds. I used to smoke cigarettes back then and didn't develop dry sockets at all. I had a good experience.

gymchick05 · June 2010

I had 3 impacted wisdom teeth (apparently I only had 3) taken out a few years ago. I didnt even have wisdom teeth on X-rays for the longest time and then right after I didnt have dental insurance anymore, I got an infection from the impacted tooth (which was one of the most painful things ever) so I had to get them out. My health insurance didnt cover since it was an HMO at the time and I wanted to go to an oral surgeon I trusted (my friend when to a bad one and her jaw was fractured!). It cost about 2k with twiight.

When my sister had her's out she was a mess, so I was sooo nervous and took about 4 days off from work just in case. I was fine. Didnt need any pain meds, no swelling, no pain, just was starving since all I was supposed to eat was yogurt and it wasnt doing the trick (im probably the only person to gain wt getting wisdom teeth out from overeating pudding and yogurt haha). But honestly since I felt great I was so effecient during those days I had to myself. I wouldnt worry about getting them out now w/ your wedding coming up, but if they arent giving you a problem, why not just do it after your wedding? Even if one becomes infected before your wedding, you just take the medicine and have to wait til the infection is gone to get them out anyway.

I loved my oral surgeon and she is in Sparta and Vernon if you need more recommendations, far from you but everyone I know that used her did great and recovered in no time!

kasabby · June 2010

Mine were all impacted and I had all 4 removed when I was about 21. It wasn't that bad. They knocked me out and gave me some pain meds. The first day or so, I was in a little pain but I was good to go after a week.

I would say it isn't a big deal to wait--you've waited this long.

Denise91980 · June 2010

I would get them out, not necessarily now but definitely at least after the wedding. I got a nasty infection from my wisdom teeth, which caused my jaw to lock and blisters all over my mouth....it was HORRIBLE..I had to have emergency surgery because of the infection they would only do one side at a time because they were worried about the pain I would be in. When they did the second side it was like nothing compared to the first. That is why I say just get them out because having them, you create that chance of infection.

Heather822 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_nwr-wisdom-teeth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:8388aa9f-9c34-45a1-ab65-a603182e653fPost:2daa65f1-8ad1-404a-bc96-3f4251849ea3">Re: NWR: Wisdom Teeth</a>:
[QUOTE] <strong>I don't understand why the dentist wants to remove it if they are not impacted?</strong> I had all 4 removed at the same time. I wasn't swollen. I wasn't in any pain & didn't get prescribed any meds. I used to smoke cigarettes back then and didn't develop dry sockets at all. I had a good experience.
Posted by Lola Minnie[/QUOTE]

<font color="#003366">Because they are much harder to keep clean... he always comments on the "tremendous amounts of plaque in the caverns" which puts them at risk for infection... also the pregnancy thing stated above.
</font>

gibribuz · June 2010

Only 2 of my wisdom teeth were impacted but I had to get all 4 out because they were pushing against my other teeth. I never experienced pain or discomfort before they were removed. When I finally decided to get them removed, I got all 4 removed at the same time and I asked to be asleep for the procedure. I HATE going to the dentist and was TERRIFIED about getting my wisdom teeth pulled but it was not as bad as I imagined. There was some swelling and minimal pain afterwards. I did end up with a dry socket because I was eating things I shouldn't have been eating and I was smoking but the dry socket pain was not too bad.

Julephenia · June 2010

I had all 4 out at 15 or 16. (According to every dentist I've ever had, I have a small mouth, and my orthodontist wanted the teeth gone.) I was completely knocked out and had trouble healing. Of course, while pain meds knock me loopy, then tend to not knock out pain for me... but I did go to my best friend's bday party that night. Milkshakes and apple sauce and baby food were my saviors. (I probably milked the whole "not well" thing to the last drop.)

FI had SIX out at the age of 23. Yes, he was special and had extra. (Maybe from you ladies who had only 3 sent him the extras? :P) He woke up one morning with a swollen face and couldn't chew. They were impacting and getting infected. He had them all out at once on a Friday, and by Saturday was doggedly eating spaghetti.

It all depends on how your body heals. However, if you are not currently having problems, suggest waiting until after your wedding to the dentist. If s/he really thinks it is going to become a problem, get it done ASAP... you'll be fine by the wedding.

TuffysMommie · June 2010

Honestly, I'd get another dentist's opinion. Just to take them out for the sake of taking them out isn't something I would do.

I have 3 that came in perfectly and one impacted. The impacted one never hurt, and my dentist has just been tracking it through (low radiation) xrays for the past 10 years or so. In the past 3 years, it has actually started to straighten out and grow. It's now making it's way out normally. I'm so glad that I didn't go through surgery 10 years ago for a tooth that is no longer a problem at all. I also had braces for about 2 years and the wisdom teeth did not shift my teeth at all.

I'd wait - just take extra care in flossing and brushing back there and rinse with a bacteria killing moutwash. If you start to get any pain, deal with it then. However, I don't see how anything crazy will happen if they are already in. Sure, you might get a cavity - but that could happen to any tooth (in the back of your mouth).

tbrose16 · June 2010

I just had all of mine out last spring. I waited 9 years to get them out and then I couldn't wait anymore. I was terrified like you. They were all impacted so they put me under anesthia. As far as the surgery, the only thing I remember is counting to 5 and then waking up after. I was so nervous about the anesthia b/c I never got it before but it was fine. The thing that caused me the problems was the healing. I guess b/c I was 28 it took longer to heal than if I was younger. I got dry socket and an infection even though I was so careful so I had to go back like 2-3 times a week for about a month after. Lucky for, all of the follow up apts were included in the cost of the extractions

mchristian05 · June 2010

I had all four of mine out (two at a time) a couple of weeks apart. I was partially under with sleeping gas...it felt like someone was tugging on my arm when he was pulling on my teeth. I did not have any issues during or after. Also, after the second two were out I ate steak that night.

I would not worry about getitng them taking out. Since you have a concern, I would get a second opinion and wait until after your wedding so you will not have the stress of possibly having problems with healing.

DMLJ · June 2010

The part about pregnancy freaks me out!

I have all four- never had a tooth pulled. They came in perfectly straight. When I was in HS I had the "caverns" filled in with some kinds of plastic-like sealant. Never had any problem. But now your scaring me with the pregnancy hormones thng. I guess my dr. would have said something if he was concerned.

njpabzy · June 2010

Ask your dentist about waiting till after the wedding. I had all four out, 2 at a time, they were impacted. I was also horribly scared, but I was knocked out and when I woke up I was amazed that it was all over - you will feel nothing during the procedure. However, with the first two I had no complications at all - with the second two I looked like a chipmunk for over a month! The swelling and the black and blue took forever to go away - I went back to the dentist because I swore something was infected and they said there wasnt - they said they had some difficulty taking one of them out and I bruised from it. Everyone is different - I do bruise easily. It eventually went away and everything was fine but because you never know how you will react I would wait if you can. I am sure you will be in the majority and it will be a piece of cake but why chance it if you dont have to.

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