Wisdom teeth extraction advice please!

[pnwest]

Dentist says my uppers are fine, wants to take out the bottoms. He wants to go with a local anesthetic instead of general - is that a mistake in your opinion? And should I do one at a time, or both together?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

[tonkatoy8888]

1. Drugs. Lots of drugs.

I made the mistake, or so it seems in retrospect, of having my wisdom teeth removed by a dentist and not an oral surgeon.

I won't bore or scare you with the details, but about 20 mins in I thought it was a mistake. When he pulled out what in any other setting would be described as a hammer and cold chisel, I was certain I'd made a really bad decision.

When the Novocain wore off and half my face was still numb there was no doubt, I was an idiot.

When it took 8 months for the nerve damage to heal, I knew the dentist was an idiot.

[pnwest]

3. Oh my word!!

This is an oral surgeon, luckily, but I do wonder why he’s opting for local anesthesia instead of general… he also wanted to pull one at a time, I had to be very firm about doing both at the same time.

[rsdsharp]

2. When I did it, I opted for Novocain. And nitrous oxide.

AND liquid Valium.

Never regretted it.

[pnwest]

9. I'm being silly, I know.

[rsdsharp]

10. I was being serious.

[pnwest]

11. Oh I know! I just meant after all the reassuring comments, I realize

I'm worrying over nothing and I am sure I won't regret it either.

[usonian]

4. I had two lowers impacted as teen or therabouts. Oral surgeon and general knockout? Who can remember.

And that's the point. See reply #1.

Had the un-impacted uppers removed many decades later. Easy.

[twodogsbarking]

5. I had three teeth removed two months ago. Local much better.

Wisdom teeth out 45 yrs ago and the dentist had to put his knee on my chest to pull one.
You should recover quickly and have more room in your mouf.

[pnwest]

8. yikes !

[SamKnause]

6. I had all four removed at the same time.

I was told they were larger than normal.

My mouth doesn't open very wide so they put some type of crank ??? to keep it opened wide enough.
They use the child size molds to get impressions of my teeth. The adult size will not fit.
This was 46 years ago.

All I had was the shots that numb everything.

I didn't have any problems.

I didn't have any pain.

[pnwest]

7. Ok, thanks! I'm inordinately worried it's going to be excruciating. LOL

Makes me feel better! Thank you.

[Warpy]

12. I had all 4 done under local in a dentist's chair

although not all at the same time. Unless the Xray shows something really funky going on with the roots, 1-2 extractions under local are not a huge deal. Local anesthesia has a lot fewer potential side effects than general anesthesia.

Plus, you get to whine for 2 days after which you can brag about how tough you are.

[pnwest]

13. LOL!

I do like to play a poor pitiful me card now and then